What is a canal?

What's the difference between canals and rivers?

What is a canal?

Canals are waterways that people built. Most canals in England and Wales were constructed during the early part of the Industrial Revolution - the 1770s to 1830s. Before this, the only way to move goods around the country was by horse and cart. 

Brilliant forward-thinking engineers such as James Brindley and William Jessop had a vision of a network of canals criss-crossing the country, making it easier and quicker to transport goods, particularly heavy items such as coal and timber, between cities.

Boaters and canal companies once used these waterways to transport materials such as coal, stone and timber, as well as cotton, pottery and sugar from manufacturers, mills and mines to customers around the world. 

What is a river?

Rivers are formed from a source such as a natural spring or glacier and flow down the land to the sea. 

Hundreds of years ago, some rivers were canalised to make them wider or deeper so boats could travel along them. The Aire and Calder Navigation in West Yorkshire is an example of a canalised river. In 1704 the rivers Aire and Calder were canalised so boats could travel between Leeds and Wakefield. 

Another canalised river is the River Lea in the south-east. This river had several shallow stretches, so in the 17th century, ‘cuts’ were dug in the riverbed to increase its depth and improve navigation for boats.

Was Britain the first country to build a canal?

While the UK was the first country to build a nationwide canal network, canals themselves had been around for hundreds of years. It is believed that the Chinese built the first canal in the 10th century - the Grand Canal of China.

At the peak of ‘canalmania,’ in the late 1700s there were nearly 4,000 miles (6,400km) of canals in Britain. Many canals linked with larger rivers so goods could be moved to and from important sea ports such as Liverpool and Hull. This helped transport goods worldwide, making the nation a global industrial powerhouse. 

Do people still use canals today?

While many canals have sadly been filled in, built over or lost in time, there are more boats on our canals today than at the height of the Industrial Revolution. From people taking holidays to families making homes on our waterways. 

Many people have set up businesses aboard canal boats. Some industries are returning to canals, seeing them as a greener way to move cargo.

Millions of people also use our towpaths and visit canals every year. They allow people to take some time out from their busy lives and get closer to nature. Spending time by water helps us to relax and feel better. This is why it is so important to us that we look after them. 

Are canals still being built?

It may be on a different scale than in the 1790s, but small stretches of canal are still being built today. The Ribble Link, which runs around the outskirts of Preston and connects the River Ribble with the Leeds & Liverpool Canal’s Rufford Branch opened in 2002. 

In 2009, the Liverpool Canal Link extended the Leeds & Liverpool Canal from Stanley Dock Lock Flight to the South Docks via Albert Dock.

And, as part of the Droitwich Canal restoration project, a new stretch of canal was built between the M5 motorway and Hanbury Locks. The Barge Canal and Junction Canal were also connected by canalising a stretch of the River Salwarpe through the centre of Droitwich. The new ‘Droitwich Canal Ring’ opened in 2011.

Restoring canals

Many of the new canals built today are part of plans to restore derelict or abandoned canals. These include the Cotswold Canals in Gloucestershire and the Montgomery Canal in Wales.

Why are canals being built or restored?

200 years ago, canals were important for trade and people. They provided a quick and reliable way for businesses to move goods and products to different places. They also provided thousands of people with jobs - building the canals, transporting cargo on boats or working in the businesses that sprang up beside these new waterways.

Today, while fewer people earn their living on the waterways themselves, canals still play a vital role in our lives, and this is why we are helping to restore canals in England and Wales.

Canals give us easy access to peaceful greenspaces in our busy towns and cities. Towpaths are valuable traffic-free routes that we can use to walk to school, the shops, or work. Canals are also a magnet for tourism - people enjoy visiting waterside locations and spending time in canalside cafes and pubs. 

A thriving, healthy network of canals used and enjoyed by communities throughout the country has a positive impact on our health and happiness. In 2022 we researched to understand the value of canals - what they contribute to our lives and the economy.