Setting out on the walk.
Nigel Freer. In the background can be seen the clock warehouse
built in 1780, now a restaurant.
Shardlow, the old iron warehouse.
Shardlow
LIHS went on a guided walk of Shardlow led by Wendy Freer in 2008.
The village of Shardlow is mentioned in the Domesday Book but the inland port of Shardlow started to develop after 1770 with the opening of the Trent and Mersey Canal. Positioned close to the junction between the canal and the River Trent, it quickly became an important centre of trade. Warehouses, workshops, stables and breweries appeared along the banks along with the residences of the principal carrying companies. Many of these buildings have survived. Some are still used for industrial activities although most have been converted to other uses. The Shardlow Heritage Centre is well worth a visit and their website contains a wealth of information on the history of the port together with maps and illustrations.
Download guided walk notes here.
Shardlow lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal.
Shardlow, former rope works, now a private residence.
