Rugeley Circa 1900

[mark99]

[matty40s]

No locks in Rugeley and doesnt look like Colwich or Heyford Lock?

[magnetman]

They have good taste when it comes to animals.

I bet that hound got them a few rabbits. Check out the muscle ! 

[Derek R.]

A curious load. It looks like round timber, with something else on the lockside with a tarp covering it.

The hold 'look' like it has water in it. Offering the thought that rolling such a piece into the hold would act as a cushion if no lockside crane available. I wouldn't think this was a common practice.

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

First glance I thought water too,

but I think it’s simply darker planks?

 

Woodend Lock?

with the boundary wall, hedge and fence Shadehouse Lock might fit the bill,

but that’s yet further away again from Rugely. 

 

 

Yes what a great idea to have a rabbit catcher

[magnetman]

I think it is a shadow. 

The sun is low as is evidenced by the shadow of the man..

It does look like water though. 

[Rob-M]

With the horse this side would it need to be a lock with the towpath this side or possibly a bridge out of view to the right of the photo.

[magnetman]

Is it a lock? I see no balance beam. 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Yes, hence I thought Woodend or Shadehouse would fit the bill.

 

[magnetman]

 

It gives the impression of being a lock but where is the gate? 

 

The horizontal bar looks too slim and is anchored too far inland for a gate. Maybe the gate is obscured by the boat. 

 

Then what is that wooden bar? 

 

OK the bar is a plank to make a temporary bridge. You would not need this if there were lock gates. 

 

Surely the horse doesn't walk across a plank ! 

 

 

 

 

And the piece behind the woman looks like a dam of some sort. Its not a dry dock is it ? 

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Hey it’s not that narrow outside Tesco is it?

by where there are now the cottages 

 

 

 

...nah....can’t be..

giving in for now, jobs to do

[magnetman]

Too narrow. 

(to be a dry dock). 

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

On 22/11/2023 at 13:01, beerbeerbeerbeerbeer said:

Hey it’s not that narrow outside Tesco is it?

by where there are now the cottages 

 

 

 

...nah....can’t be..

giving in for now, jobs to do

Why not?

 

It isn’t a conventional narrow lock as it’s more than one boat wide. Note how the channel widens out either side of the gate.

 

I don’t think it’s a lock at all. There’s very little of the paraphernalia that you need to make a workable lock.

 

The towpath is on the correct side for the narrows and the general surroundings look about right.

 

Is the gate/bridge actually there for access to the cottages; and the cottages were associated with the canal?

[junior]

Hoo Mill?

[Captain Pegg]

If you look at the gunwales on the far side of the boat ahead of the cabin you can see an expanse of water and the stones of the far wash wall. The canal where the boat is moored is considerably more than one boat width.

 

Also note the clearance between the back of the boat and the gate. Probably more than you’d expect for a full length horse boat sat in a full lock with rudder not tied off to the side.

 

I think the ‘gate’ may be a foot bridge a bit like what’s at Stretton Stop (Brinklow).

 

The support/pivot appears to be on land rather than against the bank. There’s no paddles or typical brickwork for things like heel grips and culvert openings that you’d see if it were a lock.

 

The beam also appears to be on the offside as I think that’s where the photograph is taken. Not a show stopper but not common for locks (at least not if it’s the T&M).

[magnetman]

As I mentioned earlier that is a large plank of wood being used as a bridge. 

The thing behind the woman's right hand is a reflection of the wooden plank. 

 

Its definitely not a lock. 

 

 

Edited November 26, 2023 by magnetman

[StephenA]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

As I mentioned earlier that is a large plank of wood being used as a bridge. 

The thing behind the woman's right hand is a reflection of the wooden plank. 

 

Its definitely not a lock. 

 

 

 

There doesn't seem to be any paddle gear either

[Captain Pegg]

9 minutes ago, magnetman said:

As I mentioned earlier that is a large plank of wood being used as a bridge. 

The thing behind the woman's right hand is a reflection of the wooden plank. 

 

Its definitely not a lock. 

 

 

I didn’t pick up that comment earlier but now I can see that’s correct. The thing that looks like it’s supporting the ‘beam’ is in fact a mooring stump (or similar) in front of the plank.

Edited November 26, 2023 by Captain Pegg

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

2 hours ago, Captain Pegg said:

Why not?

 

It isn’t a conventional narrow lock as it’s more than one boat wide. Note how the channel widens out either side of the gate.

 

I don’t think it’s a lock at all. There’s very little of the paraphernalia that you need to make a workable lock.

 

The towpath is on the correct side for the narrows and the general surroundings look about right.

 

Is the gate/bridge actually there for access to the cottages; and the cottages were associated with the canal?

well if it is where I think,

the channel today is 3 boats wide, with moorings for boats towpath side and enough room for two boats to pass, 

the entrance to the narrow is central, 

so the bank behind the woman should angle to match the angle of the bank above the dogs head,

 

the photo would be taking from what are now cottage yards,

and there’s a bridge off to the right,

off to the left is where the bank has recently been improved. 

 

this is the only narrow in the Rugely area, I’m sure. 

5 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

I didn’t pick up that comment earlier but now I can see that’s correct. The thing that looks like it’s supporting the ‘beam’ is in fact a mooring stump (or similar) in front of the plank.

yes, now I see that too,

I thought it looked a bit dodgy having a plank resting on top of a stump 

[Heartland]

Is it a lock ?

There is evidence of constriction so a swing bridge possibly

 

 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

9 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Is it a lock ?

There is evidence of constriction so a swing bridge possibly

 

 

I think we can safely say it’s here by bridge 66

 

with a plank as a makeshift crossing

 

 

why the constriction ? 🤷‍♀️

Edited November 26, 2023 by beerbeerbeerbeerbeer

[Heartland]

Can we ?

I believe that it is at Rugeley Wharf where a stream  serving Rugeley Forge and other water mills was crossed by an aqueduct

 

See this copy of the 1816 Trent & Mersey Map where Rugeley Wharf was plot 300.

 

 

[Captain Pegg]

3 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Can we ?

I believe that it is at Rugeley Wharf where a stream  serving Rugeley Forge and other water mills was crossed by an aqueduct

 

See this copy of the 1816 Trent & Mersey Map where Rugeley Wharf was plot 300.

 

 

So where is that compared to where @beerbeerbeerbeerbeer suggests. Assuming it’s not the same place?

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

12 minutes ago, Heartland said:

Can we ?

I believe that it is at Rugeley Wharf where a stream  serving Rugeley Forge and other water mills was crossed by an aqueduct

 

See this copy of the 1816 Trent & Mersey Map where Rugeley Wharf was plot 300.

 

 

I think we’re on about the same spot ?

 

modern view;

Edited November 26, 2023 by beerbeerbeerbeerbeer
To say photo’s not mine but from internet

[StephenA]

10 minutes ago, Captain Pegg said:

So where is that compared to where @beerbeerbeerbeerbeer suggests. Assuming it’s not the same place?

 

https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=19.1&lat=52.76130&lon=-1.93147&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

 

 

So basically they're at the wharf under the vertical of the D

Edited November 26, 2023 by StephenA