The Canal
"The Pocklington Canal runs for 9.5 miles between East Cottingwith and Canal Head at Pocklington. The Pocklington Canal Amenity Society have restored the section from the River Derwent to the Melbourne Arm back to navigation, approximately half the length of the canal. Together with the Amenity Society, we're currently working to extend the navigation to Bielby Arm, which will increase the navigable section by around two miles.
The majority of the canal is designated as SSSI for its wildlife value, with the lower reaches lying within the Lower Derwent Valley National Nature Reserve. The towpath that runs along the canal is a great place for spotting the brilliant blue flash of a kingfisher or dragonflies darting above the reeds.
The canal architecture also adds interest to the scenery, with distinctive swing bridges, classic hump-backed bridges and restored and unrestored locks.
The Pocklington Canal history
The canal was one of the last to be built, and was promoted by prosperous local farmers who sought more effective means of transporting their goods to the fast-growing towns of West Yorkshire. Its Act was passed in 1815, and it opened three years later.
The Pocklington is one of the few canals in Britain that were completed for less than the original estimated cost, costing only £32,695. Coal, lime, fertiliser and industrial goods were carried to Pocklington, and agricultural produce was sent out to the West Riding.
It was taken over by the York & North Midlands Railway in 1848, after just thirty years of operation. During the middle part of the last century the canal fell into disuse and became unnavigable. Despite plans in the 1950s to turn it into a dumping ground for chalk sludge, the canal survived, thanks to an active restoration group."
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The Lock
Although the details above were taken from the Canal and River Trust Page about the canal the details are out of date.
The work mentioned to extend the navigable section to the Bielby Arm was in fact completed in 2018 and the Trust actually has another web page with the details.
"The restoration of Walbut Lock on Pocklington Canal is now complete, meaning this summer a further two miles of the waterway will become navigable for the first time in nearly a century.
We had, in partnership with Pocklington Canal Amenity Society (PCAS), the challenging task of bringing the lock back into operation began last year. With consent from Historic England and advice from our heritage team, work on the Grade II Listed structure started in December 2017 when temporary dams were installed.
By holding back the water in the canal, PCAS volunteers were then able to repair historic brickwork in the lock and fit ladders for the use of boaters. The massive lock gates were replaced, complete with distinctive six-spoked paddle gear wheel – used for emptying and filling the lock – which is a particular feature of the Pocklington Canal.
This restoration completes the PCAS Bicentenary Restoration Appeal Project, which has seen both Thornton Lock and Walbut Lock painstakingly restored. Coupled with the extensive dredging and weed cutting carried out over the winter months, this will see the canal between Melbourne Arm and Bielby Arm useable by boats to mark the 200th anniversary of the canal’s original opening this summer.
Paul Waddington, PCAS chairman, said: "We are delighted that the restoration project has been completed in time for our bicentenary celebrations at the end of July. Our volunteers have worked through the coldest and wettest months over this past winter and deserve a lot of praise for their efforts.
"We look forward to welcoming visitors to this wonderful historic canal."
Lizzie Dealey, project officer at Canal & River Trust, said: "Throughout our Heritage Lottery Funded project we have seen a lot of local interest in the waterway, and we’re delighted that with PCAS and other partners such as Natural England, we’re able to keep this waterway thriving."
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