The Historic Heart of Salterhebble Locks

There's a rugged charm to the Calder and Hebble Navigation, a waterway carved into the West Yorkshire landscape to fuel the Industrial Revolution. Nowhere is this blend of engineering, history, and community spirit more evident than at the Salterhebble Locks, a crucial flight of steps that descends from the high ground near Halifax to the main line of the navigation.

These locks—the top and middle ones, captured beautifully in these photographs—tell a story of industrial might, clever design, and the quiet life of the waterways.

The Calder and Hebble: A Georgian Highway

The Calder and Hebble Navigation, an early feat of civil engineering, was constructed in phases starting in 1759, with the main line to Sowerby Bridge completed by 1770. Its purpose was to extend the navigation westwards from Wakefield, creating a vital liquid highway for the transport of coal, wool, and other goods for the rapidly growing industries of West Yorkshire.

The Trio of Locks and the Missing Guillotine

The Salterhebble section features a series of three locks. You can see the Top Lock and Middle Lock here, with their traditional mitre gates and sturdy stone construction. However, what makes this flight truly unique is the final one: the Guillotine Lock. On the day I took these pictures, I did not picture the guillotine lock, I can not recall why, so the picture below is from an earlier set I took in February 2014.

 The Guillotine Lock, found immediately behind the Stainland Road bridge, is a sight to behold. Rather than having two hinged mitre gates, it uses a single, massive, vertical gate that is lifted and lowered like a medieval portcullis. This type of gate is often used to combat high river levels or where space is restricted. It’s a fascinating, modern piece of canal machinery that dramatically contrasts with the Georgian stonework of the locks above it, and is a great reason for boaters and towpath walkers to visit this spot.

Life by the Water: The Lock Keeper's Cottage

These pictures capture more than just the mechanics of the canal; they show the tranquil waters of the mooring pound between the locks, overshadowed by the charming lock keeper's cottage.

This Grade II Listed, stone-built house sits right next to the canal, historically serving as the home and office for the person whose job it was to manage the flow of traffic and water. Today, it is a private residence, accessed by a pedestrian footbridge over the Top Lock. Its location is truly unique—an island of historic peace bordered by the modern hustle of a busy road. The cottage is an integral part of the Salterhebble Basin and its future has been a focus for canal heritage groups.

The next time you walk the towpath or cruise the Calder and Hebble, stop at Salterhebble. Pause to admire the architecture, listen for the rush of the water filling the chambers, and imagine the thousands of barges that passed this way carrying the goods that built the North. It's a place where you can truly feel the history of the industrial age woven into the landscape.

I took the pictures below on the 24th November 2023 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window.

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Autumn along the Calder and Hebble Navigation

 Inspired by pictures taken in October 2017, this blog post captures the essence of an autumn stroll along the Calder and Hebble Navigation canal, exploring the stretch from Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin to Copley. As the late October sun casts long shadows and a crispness fills the air, the canal reveals its layered history and serene beauty.

Our journey begins at the Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin, a vibrant hub where the Calder and Hebble Navigation meets the Rochdale Canal. This basin is a testament to the area's rich heritage, with its historical buildings and a long tradition of boat building and repair. A short walk from the basin lies the formidable Tuel Lane Lock, one of the deepest locks in Britain. While it's on the Rochdale Canal, its presence here highlights the engineering marvels that connected these two vital waterways.

As we leave the bustle of the basin behind, the towpath towards Copley becomes a tranquil tunnel of autumnal colours. The trees that line the canal banks are a spectacle of gold, red, and orange, their leaves fluttering down to carpet the path and the water’s surface. This is a stretch of the canal that feels particularly remote and peaceful, a stark contrast to its bustling past.

This man-made section of the canal, part of a longer cut from Brighouse to Sowerby Bridge, was an artery of the Industrial Revolution. Its construction, starting in the mid-18th century and completed to Sowerby Bridge in 1770, was a significant undertaking, led by engineers John Smeaton and James Brindley. The canal was the M62 of its day, a crucial link that allowed for the transport of raw materials and finished goods, particularly for the textile industry that once boomed here.

As the towpath winds its way towards Copley, you'll pass the remains of old mills, silent sentinels to a bygone era. The canal, now primarily used for leisure, is a peaceful route for walkers, boaters, and cyclists, a place where you can feel the pulse of history beneath your feet while soaking in the beauty of the Yorkshire landscape in all its autumnal glory.

I took these pictures in October 2017 with a Nikon d3300, clicking any of them should open a link in another window to my Colin Green photography store on Zazzle.

The entrance to the canal basin.

Sowerby Bridge Canal Basin, Wainhouse tower visible in the distance.

Shire cruisers boats moored up waiting for their next passengers.

Kirkham Turn, the junction of the Calder and Hebble Navigation with the Rochdale Canal.

Chain Bridge.

Chain Bridge and the Navigation Inn. The bridge is so called because in days gone by they used to put a chain across to prevent boats accessing the wharf on Sunday's.

Walker Lane Bridge.

Mearclough Bridge.

The previous 3 pictures were all surrounded by a large mill until it's destruction by fire in the late 1970's - early 80's.

When the picture was taken the houses to the right were in the process of being built on the former Sterne Mills site, these are now complete.

Sterne Bridge.

The previous 2 pictures show Copley Footbridge.

Please take a moment to share this post, follow me on social media, and explore my work on Clickasnap and Photo4Me using the links below. Your support means a lot!

All the pictures remain the copyright of Colin Green.