History
The canal was instigated by an Act of Parliament in 1772, which authorised the construction of a canal to run "from the River Dee, within the liberties of the city of Chester, to or near Middlewich and Nantwich". At Middlewich the Trent and Mersey Canal was under construction. The canal was an attempt to reduce the perceived threat of the Trent and Mersey Canal from damaging the profitability of the Port of Chester and River Dee Navigation. The canal was a broad canal, designed with locks which were 80 feet (24 m) by 14 feet 9 inches (4.50 m) suitable for broad-beam barges.
Work started immediately, but was hampered by financial and engineering problems, and so progress was slow. The plans were changed, with the main line going to Nantwich, and the Middlewich section becoming a branch. Construction of the main line was completed in 1779, but the branch to Middlewich was not built, and there were difficulties at the Chester end, with a failure to reach an agreement with the Dee River Company resulting in delays to the building of the lock into the river. The canal was uneconomic, with limited outlets, and the company collapsed in 1787.
Read more about this topic: Chester Canal
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