Burnley Wharf, Leeds and Liverpool Canal

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 15 Feb 2015

Burnley Wharf is a fine collection of nineteenth century stone and grey slate canal side warehouses and workshops. This complex has been sensitively brought back into use as the Inn on the Wharf, the Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre (occupying the former Toll and Wharf Master’s House) and office accommodation. The canal at this point is quite wide which allowed the barges to turn round and various goods such as coal and cotton would have been loaded and unloaded here. There is a group of three adjoining warehouses, each of a different age and style, on the northern side of the canal at Manchester Road Wharf. Nearest to the camera, at SD8383 3232, is a four storey canal warehouse dating from 1841-4 which is now used as a store. It has a very prominent full-width wooden canopy over the lower 2 floors carried on cantilevered cast-iron I-beams and short cast-iron columns. There is a central 4-stage loading bay with a hoist-housing rising through the canopy. The building is grade II-listed by English Heritage (English Heritage Building ID: 467116 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-467116-north-warehouse-to-rear-of-wharf-masters British Listed Buildings). Next a recently restored, single storey warehouse at SD8386 3230 which was added later, probably mid nineteenth century. This also has a prominent full-width wooden canopy carried on 4 full-height cast-iron columns and is also a grade II listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 467115 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-467115-centre-warehouse-to-rear-of-wharf-master British Listed Buildings). This building houses the remains of an old crane (see Image]). The third building, at SD8387 3228, is a two-storey stone warehouse. This was actually the earliest of the three warehouses, dating from c1796-1800. Whereas the later warehouses were open-fronted structures built to face the canal, this one was built parallel to the canal allowing direct unloading from the barges using catshead cranes. It was converted into a bar and restaurant (Inn on the Wharf) when the wharf was restored in the 1990s. This also is a Grade II listed building (English Heritage Building ID: 467117 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-467117-south-warehouse-to-rear-of-wharf-masters British Listed Buildings) Beyond the warehouse at SD8388 3227, adjoining the bridge, is the former Toll and Wharf Master’s House; another Grade II listed building dating from ca1850 (English Heritage Building ID: 467114 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-467114-wharf-masters-house-and-toll-office-at-m British Listed Buildings). This is now used as The Weavers’ Triangle Visitor Centre. The bridge is also Grade II-listed (English Heritage Building ID: 467130 http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-467130-canal-bridge-lancashire British Listed Buildings).

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