DEARNE AND DOVE CANAL.
33 George III. Cap. 115, Royal Assent 3rd June, 1793
39 & 40 George III. Cap. 37, Royal Assent 30th May, 1800.
THIS canal commences in a side cut belonging to the River Dunn Navigation, near to the Dunn Pottery, in the township of Swinton; from whence, it takes a north-westwardly course through a short tunnel, about a mile from the Dunn; thence, by Wath, Brampton, Wombwell and Ardsley, to its termination at the aqueduct conducting the Barnsley Canal over the River Dearne, near Barnsley. The length is nine miles and a quarter, with a total rise, at the above-mentioned point of junction with the Barnsley Canal, of 127 feet. In little more than half a mile from its commencement, there are six locks, rising 36 feet 9 inches; from thence, to within a quarter of a mile of the Cob Car Ing, or Elsiker Branch, it is three miles and a half, and level; to the above-mentioned branch it rises 30 feet 3 inches, by four locks, and from thence, to within less than half a nlile of the Worsbrough Bridge Branch, it is level; in the next half mile, to the last-mentioned branch, there are eight locks, rising 60 feet; from thence, to the Barnsley Canal, it is level. The branch to Worsbrough is two miles in length, and level; and the branch to Elsiker Iron Works, (belonging to Earl Fitzwilliam,) is two miles and a half; rising 48 feet, by six locks. This canal is chiefly supplied with water from reservoirs situate at Elsiker, and in the vale of Stainbro', called the Worsbrough Reservoir. From some extensive collieries situate to the south of Stainbro' Hall, there is a railway extending to the basin at Worsbrough Bridge, which, together with the produce of the iron furnace working there, furnishes considerable tonnage upon this branch.
The first act relating to this navigation, received parliamentary sanction in 1793, and is entitled, An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from the River Dunn Navigation Cut, in the township of Swinton, to or near, the town of Barnsley, in the parish of Silkstone, in the West Riding of the county of York; and certain collateral Cuts branching out of the said Canal.
