Chester's Industrial Outskirts - Chester, UK - UK Historical Markers on Waymarking.com

The board has information about the industry that existed along what was then known as the Chester Canal, before it was later merged with other canals to form what is now the Shropshire Union Canal.

Chester's Industrial Outskirts
Hoole Lane Lock

The Chester Canal,linking the city to Nantwich, was built in the 1770's, in an effort to save the city's historic seaport on the River Dee, which was struggling to survive against competition from Liverpool. This lock is one of five that were constructed between here and Christleton to lift the canal up out of the city. At that time, the area was largely rural, but the canal attracted industries to its banks, including the Lead Works, built around 1800 just to the west of here. The historic Shot Tower, which was used to make lead shot for the Napoleonic Wars can still be seen today.

To learn more about the canal in Chester, look out for other boards alonside the canal west of here.

Industrialisation accelerated with the arrival of the railway close by in the 1840s. This in turn brought hundreds of workers and their families, creating the communities of Boughton and Hoole. Nurseries and orchards that had previously bordered the canal were replaced by houses for the and for facilities for them and their children,including an Industrial School. Hoole Lane Lock is a broad lock, built to take 14 foot wide river boats. Whilst boats of this size did use the canal, much of the traffic was carried by the more common 7 foot wide narrow boats, since most of the locks on the national network could not take wide boats. Nearby is the Lock Vaults pub, one of many hostelries built to serve the local community. Some houses were built by social landlords, such as this attractive row next to the canal, Tollemanche Terrace. Developed by the Chester Improvement Co; formed in 1892 by the Duke of Westminster and others, they have the initials of the company displayed ona plaque in the wall.

In the 'canal mania' period of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, there were many plans to build canals that never came to fruition. In 1833 Thomas Telford and others proposed one from Chester to Birkenhead. This only got as far as the drawing stage, one of which shows that it would have joined the Chester Canal here just above the lock. About 300 yards east of here is Chemistry Lock, a name that relates to a local chemocal works, with and acid distillery, naptha and sugar of lead houses. There were fires at the works in 1845, 1855 (2 fatalities) and again in 1861, when the walls were 'much shaken such that the building will have to be erected afresh'. Instead the works moved to Queensferry and became part of Midland Tar Distillers. In 1908, local architect John Douglas designed the small Mission Room built here on a narrow strip of land next to the canal. Its style is redolent of the main church, St. Paul's Boughton, also by Douglas. The building has now been converted for residential use.

Chester's Water Supply

Since Roman Times, water for the citizens of Chester has been extracted from the River Dee. In the medieval period, this water tower at Bridgegate was used, but the water became too contaminated.

So, in the 1830s, a pumping station at Barrelwell Hill was built to lift river water up to the Water Works here by the canal, where it could be filtered and stored prior to distribution.

The old pumping station on the river is no more, but the Water Tower and Engine House here remain and are Listed Buildings. Much modernised, the Water Works still provides Chester's water to this day.

Type of Historic Marker: Standalone metal board Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Chester Canal Heritage Trust Give your Rating: Age/Event Date: Not listed Related Website: Not listed

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