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Uphill Struggle

Why does the canal not go further than Cefn Mawr?

A map of the Llangollen canal, 20th century (view a larger version). ©The Waterways Trust

"I had some reason to believe the western route would cost more, but on considering the carriage of coal and lime, I recommend as the first object the survey of the western line."

William Jessop
Report to Ellesmere Canal Co., 9th January 1792

The planned route through the Denbighshire coalfield, past Wrexham and onto Chester, was always going to be expensive. Opinion on the best route was divided. Jessop’s route had fewer locks, but involved an expensive two and a half-mile tunnel under Acrefair to Ruabon. Turner promoted a higher canal requiring lots of locks, moreover his route to Chester made return freight journeys near impossible.

In 1801 Jessop recommended abandoning the planned canal. Chester and Shrewsbury had found cheaper, closer supplies than Denbighshire coal. The wars with France made raising money difficult. Only a small section of the canal was built at Ffrwd and it was soon abandoned. Jessop, instead, focused on developing a tramway system to connect local industry to the canal basin at Trevor, just north of the aqueduct.

Local industries used the Llangollen canal. ©Wrexham Archives

"The many obstacles and the change in circumstances …have shown it to be wholly unadvisable to execute a canal plan between Pontcysyllte and Chester."

William Jessop
Report to Ellesmere Canal Co., 24 January 1800

"Any boatman could have told the Company digging a canal from Trevor to Chester was a mad idea! A 2 1/2 mile tunnel underground, I ask you. What a waste of good money!"