Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.

Ellesmere Canal

Description: A canal that was never wholly completed the two major sections now being part of the Shropshire Union Canal.

History: Authorised by an Act of 1793, the Chester to Ellesmere Port section completed in 1795, and the navigable feeder from Trevor to the Dee at Llantisilo completed what is now the Llangollen Canal in 1808.

January 1791	William Turner	At a meeting on 31st August he suggested an alternative line for the canal which would make use of the Chester Canal and then cut westwards near Whitchurch. Later that year he became one of William Jessop's assistants on the canal.
31st August 1791	John Duncombe	At a meeting at the Royal Oak in Ellesmere the estimate he produced with Joseph Turner was presented. They estimated £67,456 for the main line from Netherpool on the Mersey to the River Dee then on to Overton and Shrewsbury. Branches to Llangollen, Bersham and Llanmynech brought the total to £171,098.
31st August 1791	Joseph Turner	At a meeting at the Royal Oak in Ellesmere the estimate he produced with John Duncombe was presented. They estimated £67,456 for the main line from Netherpool on the Mersey to the River Dee then on to Overton and Shrewsbury. Branches to Llangollen, Bersham and Llanmynech brought the total to £171,098.
January 1792	John Duncombe	Assisted William Jessop in deciding on a line for the canal.
August 1792	William Jessop	He was called in because the company wanted "as engineer of approved character and experience" to consult and he recommended the original western route for the canal. However he did suggests some changes including a higher aqueduct at Pontcysllte to reduce the length of the proposed 4,607-yard tunnel at Ruabon. His estimate for the main line was £179,898 plus £17,000 for branches at Holt and Llanymynech.
January 1793	Authorised by an Act.
January 1793	William Turner	Prepared plans and estimates for the aqueducts at Pontcysllte and pont faen, together with Arthur Davies and John Duncombe.
January 1793	Arthur Davies	Prepared plans and estimates for the aqueducts at Pontcysllte and pont faen, together with WilliamTurner and John Duncombe.
January 1793	John Duncombe	Prepared plans and estimates for the aqueducts at Pontcysllte and pont faen, together with WilliamTurner and Arthur Davies.
Early January 1793	Thomas Denson	Was assistant to John Duncombe, the engineer helping William Jessop with the canal.
February 1793	John Duncombe	Was appointed to assist William Jessop in the construction of the canal.
30th October 1793	Thomas Telford	Made General Agent, Surveyor, Engineer, Architect and Overlooker of Works for the canal which had just been authorised at a salary of £300 a year. This was a pat-time post under William Jessop, the Principal Engineer. He retained his post as Surveyor of Public Works for the County of Shropshire.
January 1795	The Chester to Ellesmere Port section completed.
14th July 1795	William Jessop	He recommends that the company abandon the locks which were planned at each end of Pontcysllte Aqueduct and instead build an iron aqueduct at the height of 125 feet above the River Dee. He also recommends iron for the other aqueduct at Pont-faen saying in might the be possible to move the crossing to Chirk, which proved true.
August 1795	William Jessop	He approved Thomas Telford's plans for the revised line between Ruabon and Chester.
August 1795	Thomas Telford	William Jessop appoved his plans for the Ruabon to Chester line of the canal.
January 1800	William Jessop	In his report for the year he says it "wholly inadvisable to execute a Canal between Pontycysyllte and Chester" partly because of the opening of new collieries and a reduction in the price of coal at Chester.
Before April 1800	John Rennie	He reported on the experimental boat lift that had been on trial on the canal.
January 1801	Chirk Aqueduct opened, 70 feet high.
January 1801	William Jessop	He left the post of consultant engineer.
January 1801	Thomas Denson	He was resident engineer for the canal.
January 1805	Pontcysylite Aqueduct - 121 feet above the River Dee. Opened.
January 1808	The navigable feeder from Trevor to the Dee at Llantisilo completed what is now the Llangollen Canal.
January 1819	George W Buck	Appointed engineer of the Eastern Branch.
March 1819	John Williams	The western line, which he built as resident engineer, was completed to Newtown, a distance of 7 miles 3 furlongs and with six locks.
January 1823	George W Buck	Carried out extensive repairs on the Vyrnwy Aqeduct that had every arch fractued due to it originally being constucted from sub-standard materials. It was strengthened using iron bands.
December 1832	George W Buck	Was appointed as clerk and engineer of the Western Branch of the canal with instructions to investigate the accounts. He previously worked on the Eastern Branch.
December 1833	George W Buck	He left the company to become an assitant to Robert Stephenson, having had an interest in railways from the early days of steam.
January 1975	The Ellesmere and Llangollen Canal. An Historical Background by E A Wilson , Published by Phillimore & Co.

Text and photographs copyright of Jim Shead.