Historical Account of the Navigable Rivers, Canals, and Railways, of Great Britain/Alford Canal
ALFORD CANAL.
7 George IV. Cap. 44, Royal Assent 5th May, 1826.
ALFORD, whence this canal takes its name, is a market town on the Lincolnshire coast, five miles in a direct line from the German Ocean, and about equi-distant from Louth and Wainfleet. The canal was designed by Mr. William Tierney Clarke, civil engineer, and the estimated cost of completing it was £36,924, 15s. The act, which received the royal assent on the day quoted above, is entitled, 'An Act for making and constructing a Canal, from the town of Alford, in the county of Lincoln, to the Sea, at or near the village of Anderby, in the said county, with a Basin, Harbour, and Pier.'
The canal is 8 feet deep, and is supplied with water from Holywell Spring, and from a drain, or stream, called Boy Grift, from which are feeders communicating with the canal. It enters the sea near the village of Anderby, about a quarter of a mile from low-water-mark; it has a sea-lock, which keeps the surface of the water, in the pool next the sea, 14⅔ feet above low-water at spring tides, which is equal to high-water-mark, neap tides, - the average spring tide being 18½ feet. From the sea-lock, to another rising 7¾ feet, it is level for three miles and a half; thence it is level to the basin of the canal, which terminates half a mile south of Alford, and is rather more than a mile and a half long, making the total length of the canal to low-water-mark six miles and a half.
The subscribers to this canal were incorporated under the name and style of "The Alford Canal Company," and were empowered to raise among themselves a sum, not exceeding £38,000, of which, more than £30,000 was raised before the application to parliament. This sum was divided into seven hundred and sixty shares of £50 each. The proprietors are further empowered to raise a further sum of £15,000, on mortgage of the canal and tolls, or they may borrow the above sum, or any part of it, on promissory notes, under the common seal; or they may borrow exchequer bills of the commissioners for carrying into execution an act of George III, for authorizing the issue of exchequer bills for carrying on of public works, &c.
The management of this concern is in the hands of twelve of the company, who are chosen annually, five of whom are em powered to act.
SCHEDULE OF DUTIES OR DUES,
Payable for, or in respect of, Boats, Craft, Barges, Ships, and Vessels, passing into, or out of, or in, or along, the Harbour, Canal, or Basin.
| s. | d. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For every Boat, Craft, Barge, Ship, or Vessel, to load or unload. | 0 | 2 | per Ton, as registered. | |
| For every Foreign Boat entering the Harbour, or Basin, for shelter, waiting for Wind, or Repairs. | 1 | 0 | ditto. ditto. | |
| For every Boat, Craft, Barge, Ship, or Vessel, belonging to the United Kingdom, entering the Harbour, for shelter, waiting for Wind, or Repairs. | 0 | 4 | ditto. ditto. | |
| For every Fishing Boat, ditto, ditto, | 0 | 3 | ditto, ditto. | |
| For every Boat, Craft, Barge, Ship, or Vessel, remaining in the Harbour, or Basin, more than Twelve Days, unless for Repairs. | 0 | 4 | per Ton, per Diem. |
SCHEDULE OF DUTIES OR DUES,
Payable for, or in respect of, any Goods, Wares, Merchandize, and Passengers, imported or exported by Boats, Craft, Barges, Ships, or Vessels, passing into, or out of, or in, or along, the Harbour, Canal, or Basin.
| s. | d. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| For Coal, Coke, or Cinders. | 4 | 0 | per Chaldron, of 32 bushels, imp. meas. | |
| Common or Undressed Bricks. | 4 | 0 | per Thousand. | |
| Stone, Slate, Lime, Unwrought or Cast Iron, Manure, Bones, Dressed Bricks, Pan, Ridge and Draining Tiles, Tallow, Oil Cakes, Potatoes, Sand and Gravel. | 4 | 0 | per Ton. | |
| Oak, Elm, Pine, Beech, Fir Timber, Deals, Battens, and Lath Wood.. | 4 | 0 | per Load. | |
| Sugar, Salt, Soap, Candles, Clover Seed, Trefoil Seed, Raw Hides, Spirituous Liquors, Wines, Ale, Porter,Glass and Earthenware | 4 | 6 | per Ton. | |
| Wheat, Beans and Peas. | 1 | 0 | per Quarter. | |
| Barley, Rape or Lineseed. | 0 | 10 | ditto. | |
| Malt or Oats. | 0 | 8 | ditto. | |
| Hay, Clover, Straw, Hops, Wool, Feathers, Hair, Tanned Hides, Rags, Oak Bark and Household Goods. | 8 | 0 | per Ton. | |
| For all other Goods, Wares or Merchandize. | 6 | 0 | ditto. | |
| For every Passenger. | 1 | 0 |
SCHEDULE OF WHARFAGE DUES,
For Goods laid on the Piers, Jetties, Wharf, Quays, or landing places - and of Dues on Goods deposited in Warehouses.
| Wharfage Dues for every Twenty-four Hours. | Warehouse Dues for the first Twenty-four Hours. | ||
| d. | d. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Coals, Cinders, Coke, Lime, Sand, Gravel,Potatoes, Wheat, Beans, Peas, Barley, Malt, Oats, Clover, Line and Rapeseed, or any other Grain or Seeds. | 3d per Chaldron, | 3 per Chaidron, and 1d. per Ton for every following Twenty-four Hours. | |
| Timber, Deals, Battens or Lath Wood | 3 per Load, | 3 per Load, and ½d. do. | |
| Hay, Clover, Straw, Hops, Wool, Feathers, Hair, Tanned Hides, Rags, Oak Bark, and Household Goods | 6 per Ton, | 6 per Ton, and 1d. do. | |
| For all other Goods, Wares or Merchandize | 4 ditto. | 4 ditto, and ½d. do. | |
This act does not extend to any of his Majesty's ships of war, or any other ship, transport, or packet of his Majesty; or any vessels employed in his Majesty's revenues of customs or excise; or in the employment of the ordnance; or to any ship, transport, or packet employed in carrying the mails of letters and expresses, under the authority of his Majesty's Post-Master General; or any vessel in, or upon, his Majesty's service; or in the conveyance of any officers or soldiers; or any horses, arms, ammunition, or baggage belonging to them; and any person who shall take the benefit of this exemption, not being entitled to it, will incur a penalty of £5.
In 1805, it was in contemplation to effect a navigable communication between Wainfleet Harbour and Alford, a distance of twelve or thirteen miles; but the scheme is now superseded by this canal.
Although this canal has not yet been executed, we may state that its projectors had for their object a more ready transmission of corn, wool, and other agricultural produce, from Alford, and its vicinity, to London and other ports on the eastern shore, and to facilitate the introduction of coals, wares, and merchandize, to Alford and its neighbourhood.