Historic disused wharf on L&L to be restored

[Janet S]

Some more good news about the canalside regeneration on the Leeds and Liverpool Canal in Burnley

 

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/news-and-views/news/historic-burnley-canal-wharf-secures-national-lottery-funding

 

Following the brilliant reinstating of the old dry dock recently and the restoration of several canalside buildings, this is absolutely great news.

 

Janet

[TimYoung]

That's excellent. It has been a site crying out for preservation for years.

 

Tim

[Nightwatch]

I like to see these things being funded and committed to.

 

There must be hundreds of location like this that are crying out for funding.

 

Are times a changing?

 

Let's hope so.

 

Martyn

[Burgiesburnin]

What a great project. Due to the lack of graffiti ( which is strange) that buildings like this are usually covered with, it's easier to see how this was once a fantastic site with great canal access.

 

Well done to the people that got this going.

[Heartland]

Nice to see prospective restoration of Finsley Gate Wharf, even if Canal & River Trust cannot get its dates right. I hardly expect the wharf was there in 1700, and am also sure Pluto can provide a more accurate date range.

 

Ray Shill

[Cloudinspector]

The wharf opposite Wigan pier is a prime example. A beautiful building being left to rot. CRT have their office in a modern building 5 mins walk away. I'm sure Wigan council, CRT and private investors could save this building and put it to good use.

[Guest]

The wharf opposite Wigan pier is a prime example. A beautiful building being left to rot. CRT have their office in a modern building 5 mins walk away. I'm sure Wigan council, CRT and private investors could save this building and put it to good use.

Seconded.

[Pluto]

The house and forge probably date from 1800, the canal opening here in 1801, and the site was certainly used as a maintenance yard by 1826. The main workshop building which survives was probably built circa 1840 as it is not on the 1826 canal survey, but seems to be on the first edition 6in OS, which dates from c1850 in East Lancashire. In terms of historical conservation, I don't see the site as being particularly important, as so much has already been destroyed, such as the slipway and cover on the Liverpool end of the yard. That said, the buildings are good examples of their time and help to interpret the history of the canal in Burnley.

 

The L&LC had at least six maintenance yards, all except one of which survive to some extent. They are at Briers Mill (Burscough) - this was moved to the former horse centre in Burscough during early BW days, at Wigan, where the carpenters shop had its upper storey destroyed by fire, Finsley Gate at Burnley, Bank Newton, Bingley 5-rise, and Apperley Bridge. I have suggested to CRT that any conservation policy regarding maintenance yards should concentrate on Apperley Bridge, where the blacksmith's shop is still fairly complete and could be used. It also has one of the few surviving wood-framed buildings dating from the end of the nineteenth century which were such a feature of the L&LC. There is also the original stone building, so the whole site encompasses the development of maintenance on the L&LC. Given financial restrictions, it is necessary to define which sites offer the most as heritage structures, and I feel that Apperley Bridge fits the bill best on the L&LC. As Kennet will be in Yorkshire this year, I have suggested having a heritage open day there at some time in the summer.