The canal which is now restored, runs through the centre of Stalybridge. It starts at Ashton under Lyne, and finishes in Huddersfield. This completed a waterborne trade artery from Liverpool thorough the Pennines and with other canals through Yorkshire, and finally to the North Sea. It was a great advance on the roads of the period and, with both cotton mills on the western side of the Pennine hills and woollen mills on the eastern side it was assured of plenty of use. Buildi

At the close of the 18th century, industry in the form of cotton mills began to flourish in an area to the north west of the town known as Rassbottom. This marked a distinct change from domestic industry to large scale manufacture. The growth of Stalybridge illustrates the social and economic history of the 19th century,with building types and materials that are typical of their time and place. The development of the town was greatly influenced by the steep valley slopes of t

Many occupants of Stalybridge still remember the time in 1965 when the redevelopment of the town centre included filling in the canal. Four men were elected to drain and dredge the canal from Mottram Road to the town centre in the summer on 1966. Armed with only a small boat from Stamford Park boating lake, shovels, picks and their bare hands the men started the task. Draining the canal was not too difficult, yes it was messy and smelly but it was fun. However what waited for