Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The River Calder sections are of a larger scale and lack a towpath, or sometimes any path at all
.
A canal leg runs past a wharf complete with original wharf crane. A river leg ensues before
the route returns to the canal at Mirfield. A church is by George Gilbert Scott. Charlotte
Brontë was at school here and the mills feature in her
Shirley
.
Barges built at Mirfield for the navigation have been based upon Humber keels, resulting in
the short wide-beam locks. Lack of space has resulted in some spectacular sideways launch-
ings over the years.
After the Navigation public house a couple of quaintly named works sit adjacent to each
other, the mill of Squire A Radcliffe and Sons Ltd and the premises of the British Bung Man-
ufacturing Company.
A confusing part of the navigation is by the Swan at Shepley Bridge Lock, where two sets
of lock gates face the boater. The left set guard a barge dry dock, the navigation running right
to rejoin the river opposite the Ship Inn. One more brief canal section comes before Raven-
sthorpe. A warehouse displays gantries and a wharf crane.
The Perseverance public house lies in a bleak partly derelict area. The Dewsbury Branch
leads to the Savile Town Basin, serving this old industrial and heavy woollen-manufacturing
town.
The Figure of Three Locks at Healey now lack the third lock, which once connected with
the Calder.
A prominent and striking church in Horbury was finished in 1791, built and paid for by its
architect, John Carr. A subsequent vicar, Sabine Baring-Gould, composed
Onward Christian
Soldiers
for his younger congregation members to sing while walking to and from church.
