Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The broad sandstone cutting past Walton Hall
.
One of the few remaining canal buildings is Stitts warehouse, occupied by Pyranha, one
of the world's leading canoe manufacturers and source of much original thinking in canoe
design. Pyranha were also behind such landmark events as the descent of Everest and the
majority of Richard Fox's world slalom championship successes. At one time, Norton ware-
house covered the canal arm here but now it is open.
A marina for 300 boats was built opposite in 1974 and the towpath diverted across the
canal and round the back of what is now Pyranha's site. From here the canal forms the north-
ern boundary of Runcorn's housing.
A canalside notice invites water users to visit the remains of Norton Priory, an Augustinian
centre from 1134 until the Dissolution in 1536, to which Henry VIII had given 30 oaks in
1516 to repair fire damage. The museum has the most extensive display on medieval mon-
astic life in Britain and features the largest excavation of its kind in the country. There is a
church, 12th century undercroft, chapter house, dormitory and cloisters display, 6ha of wood-
land and the gardens of a 16th century house, summerhouses, Victorian rock garden and
stream glade with azaleas, Georgian walled garden, museum, shop and refreshments. It took
a five-year legal battle to buy land from the owner of the priory to complete the canal.
Runcorn has a network of dedicated roads for single-deck buses and one crosses the canal
from the direction of Castlefield, where the remains of the castle are to be found on top of the
hill. The disused Barge, beside the canal, was attacked by an arsonist in 2011.
An industrial estate lies between the canal and the Manchester Ship Canal, hidden by the
embankment of the A558 Daresbury Expressway and the A533 Bridgewater Expressway,
which crosses and then runs alongside. Watering holes come quickly: the Royal Naval Asso-
ciation, the Grapes Inn, the Navigation and the Egerton Arms. There were also various com-
