Ashton Canal, Top Lock at Fairfileld

Image: © David Dixon Taken: 12 May 2021

Fairfield lock is number 18, the highest, on the Ashton Canal. It is Grade II-listed (Historic England List Entry Number:1356475 https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1356475 Historic England). The lock was built between 1794 and 1797. Originally a single lock, it was later changed to a double lock in the 1820s to ease congestion and to reduce queues on what was then a very busy stretch of canal (lock #17 and lock #1 were similarly widened at the same time). The widening was achieved by building a second lock chamber to the south of the original. The original lock, on the left-hand side, is now disused and serves as an overflow. The main line of the Ashton Canal turns right after the lock, while the former Hollinwood Branch continued ahead, then curved to the left. Most of the Hollinwood Branch has been infilled with the exception of the short stretch just visible in this photo which has now been widened to form Droylsden Marina (Image]).

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