Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Caldon Canal has one of the most dramatic changes of scenery over its length of any
of the British canals. The start is past new housing, fronted by a 1990 statue of Brindley, who
died after getting soaked while surveying the canal. An arched bridge has X-braced parapets,
perhaps inspired by Horseley Ironworks bridges.
Above Fens Lock at Stockton Brook
.
The first two of the 17 narrow locks come as a staircase at Bedford Street. Like the fol-
lowing locks, they have large side weirs and have split footbridges across their lower ends,
supported by decorative ironwork.
The line cuts through the ornamental Hanley Park with its ornately decorated canal
bridges, bandstand and other public facilities before emerging to give the first views of the
moorlands, sweeping round to the transmission mast at Fenton.
At Sneyd Green (Bennett's Toft End) the canal turns sharply right just by the Foxley public
house and the blocked-off end of the 800m Foxley arm, disused since 1934, having served a
colliery and ironworks.
This long pound ends at Norton-in-the-Moors, with lock 4, Engine Lock, taking its name
from a steam-powered beam engine that pumped water from a nearby mine. The conurba-
tions of Stoke-on-Trent fall back, too, and open country is met for the first time.
The canal now begins to blend into the landscape in a most agreeable fashion as fields
slope gently down to water level rather than being cut into by the canal. This is particularly
so at Stockton Brook, where irregular hilly fields dominated by clumps of deciduous trees
tumble down to meet the canal as it climbs its final flight of five locks, accompanied by sculp-
tures showing features of local industry and life. These five begin with Waterworks Lock,
which takes its name from the Victorian waterworks alongside, and follow with Fens Lock,
