Location :
Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster
North Lincolnshire, East Riding of Yorkshire
Conisbrough Parks, Crowle and Ealand, Thrybergh, Denaby, Warmsworth, Dalton, Cadeby, Sprotbrough and Cusworth, Snaith and Cowick, Stainforth, Kirk Bramwith, Thorne, Barnby Dun with Kirk Sandall, Keadby with Althorpe, Sykehouse, Fishlake
Non Civil Parish
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| Summary : The first attempts, in 1697, to make the River Don navigable were unsuccessful. But following Acts passed in 1726 and 1727, work began, and in 1731 boats reached Aldewarke, below Rotherham. They had access to Rotherham in 1740, and in 1751 the uppermost section to Tinsley was opened. From here a toll road connected with Sheffield. The Navigation prospered, and in 1793 two independent canals were joined to it - the Dearne & Dove and the Stainforth and Keadby. After the Napoleonic Wars the Sheffield Canal was built from Tinsley to Sheffield but it was financially unsuccessful. The coming of the railways brought an amalgamation in 1850, and ownership by the Manchester, Sheffield and Lincolnshire Railway Company in 1864. Later the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Company was established to remove the entire Don-based waterway system from railway interests, but it was never able to raise sufficient capital to purchase the majority interest in the waterways, and improvement was not possible. In 1905 however, the New Junction Canal was built to connect with the Aire and Calder Navigation, and provide access to the port of Goole. |