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THE BEGINNING - It was during the late 18th century that canals really came into the own as Britain entered the industrial revolution. Canals became the preferred means of moving goods as transportation was safe and cheap.

The great age of the canals began with the construction of the Bridgewater Canal and was the initiative of the third Duke of Bridgewater who owned coal mines at Worsley. Constructions of the canals were carried out by gangs of men known as navigators, or "navvies" and life was hard as much of the work was done by hand.

The traditional form of transport on the canals was the narrow boat or barge and these were long, narrow and flat bottomed. These barges would have consisted of a large cargo space with just a small cabin or butty for the crew and their families.

The canal folk took great pride in their barges and as space was limited they made use of every space and surface. To make barges as attractive and individual as possible every possible service and item was painted with the folk art work of “Roses and Castles”.

THE HEYDAY - In it's heyday the canal network expanded to nearly 4000 miles and there was constant commercial traffic travelling to and fro.

Digging the cuts or tunnels, mostly by hand, was a slow and laborious process and many died in these pioneering construction projects. Tunnels were dug by “Navvies” who would begin digging at both ends with the idea that they would meet in the middle, but this did not always happen and some canal tunnels have kinks in them. To keep costs down some of these tunnels were built with no tow path running through.

In these cases the horse had to be led over the top of the tunnel and the barge “Legged” through by the hard working crew.

There were many unique features built along the canal network including the bridges which came in all shapes and sizes and depending how elaborate they were would determine the wealth of the landowner whose land the canal cut across. A bridge built across a country estate was far more decorative than one spanning farmland or open fields. Aqueducts were built to carry the canals over rivers or valleys and undoubtedly one of the most spectacular is the Pontcysyllte aqueduct on the Llangollen Canal in Wales.

Built by Thomas Telford and William Jessop it spans the Dee Valley and is 1000 feet long and 125 feet high. Lifts were designed as a means to transport barges from one level to another and the most famous is The Anderton Lift. Built by Edwin Clark in 1875 this lifted the working barges to a height of 50 feet from the River Weaver to the Trent and Mersey Canal.

Horses proved a cheap and efficient way of towing the barges on the canal network and teams of men could be found plying for hire on ‘short distance’ runs. With only one horse towing a barge could carry 30 tons at a time which was more than ten times the amount a cart could carry.

The commercial horse-drawn barge could be found the canals until as late as the 1950s, although by this time there were being replaced by steam, and later, diesel powered barges. It took hundreds of workers to keep the canal network running smoothly and some of these included lock keepers, lengthen and toll collectors. Many of the canal side cottages and houses were built as accommodation for the men and their families who worked on the canals.

THE DECLINE - The decline of the canals began at the end of the eighteenth with the coming of the railway and when transportation was switching to the faster age of the train. The 20th century also played a part in the decline of the canals when road haulage was being offered to companies as a faster and more direct route.

Exhausted from years of neglect and the damage caused by the Second World War the canals soon fell into disrepair and it was during this time many minor canal were abandoned. During a very severe winter in 1963 many barges were frozen to their moorings and were unable to move for weeks. This was the final nail in the coffin and at this time commercial traffic almost ceased completely to carry freight on the canals.

THE PRESENT - Today however due to a restoration programme the canals offer a whole new era in the leisure industry. Holidays on the canals are becoming more and more popular and barges are now designed to give you the up most comfort. The canals and the tow paths are also enjoyed by walkers, fisherman and cyclists. Conservation work is being done to provide a haven for Britain's much loved wild life and many rare species are thriving in the safe environment.

Historic building such as bridges, toll house and warehouses are being restored and many are now listed buildings. Areas where conservation is on going are being recognised as Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The Pontcysyllte aqueduct has recent been awarded the accolade of a World Heritage Site putting it on a par with the Great Barrier Reef and The Statue of Liberty.

THE FUTURE - The leisure industry is the canals future and as more and more people enjoy a barge hire holiday the more renovations will take place and more of the canals will be restored to their former glory.