DescriptionA boat mooring basin excavated by British Waterways for short-term visitors to stay overnight while visiting the head of the Llangollen Canal navigable for motorised pleasure craft so that visitor income and benefit to Llangollen town can be increased. Built on an indent in the hillside on the north side of the canal in 2005-06.
The 6-mile feeder canal to the Ellesmere Canal at Pontcysyllte Aqueduct was built by an Act of 1804. It was completed in 1808 having been proposed as early as 1791 as a branch of the Ellesmere (now the Llangollen) Canal that was intended to link the River Mersey and Dee with the Severn. The purpose of the Llangollen branch was primarily that of a feeder to supply the main Ellesmere Canal but in addition it developed as a transport link for the slate quarries and the limestone works and for general goods to Llangollen town. Work was begun on this feeder canal in 1804 under the direction of Thomas Telford as principle engineer with Thomas Denson as resident engineer. In 1846 it became part of the Shropshire Union Railways and Canal Company but the following year was taken over by the LNWR. Transport on the canal diminished in later C19 with the arrival of the railways and then ceased by 2nd World War. The canal was only kept open because of its importance as a supplier of water.
INW 2/4/2007 & Stephen R. Hughes 25.05.2007.