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Fairbottom Walk, MANCHESTER, M43 6GU

The Ashton Canal junction with the Hollinwood Canal at Fairfield Locks. For more about the Hollinwood Canal see http://www.penninewaterways.co.uk/ashton/hollinwood.htm

Fairfield lock is number 18, the highest, on the Ashton Canal. It is Grade II-listed (Historic England List Entry Number:1356475 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1356475&resourceID=5 Heritage Gateway).

Bridge over the Ashton Canal at Fairfield Locks.

Fairfield Lock is the highest on the Ashton Canal; from here the canal drops through the eighteen locks before it reaches Manchester. It is Grade II-listed (Historic England List Entry Number:1356475 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1356475&resourceID=5 Heritage Gateway). The lock was made into a double lock in the 1820s, to reduce congestion on what was then a busy stretch of waterway. The lock to the right, now disused, was the original lock before the second lock was built to reduce queues.

Fairfield Lock is the highest lock on the Ashton Canal. Beyond the lock is Fairfield Junction where the main line of the Ashton Canal turns right while the former Hollinwood Branch continued ahead. The lock is Grade II-listed (Historic England List Entry Number:1356475 http://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=1356475&resourceID=5 Heritage Gateway). The lock was made into a double lock in the 1820s, to reduce congestion on what was then a busy stretch of waterway. The lock to the left, now disused, was the original lock before the second lock was built to reduce queues. Compare this photograph with Image], taken in 1979. The warehouses have gone and are now replaced by modern houses to the left and new apartments, ahead and to the right.

Originally at the junction of the Ashton canal and the Hollinwood Canal, http://www.hollinwoodcanal.co.uk/canal1.htm Fairfield Locks provide access to the Droylsden Marina currently under construction. Image

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 is now disused and serves as an overflow.

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]).

The lock chamber on the right is now disused, the one on the left is the first in the descent into central Manchester on the Ashton Canal.