Opened in 1797, the Shrewsbury Canal was built to carry raw materials into Ironbridge Gorge and Coalbrookdale, and to transport finished goods back out. It connected an existing network of tub-boat canals to the county town of Shrewsbury. This new canal was financed by the owners of Shropshire industry as it would reduce transport costs and speed delivery of raw materials and manufactured products.

Follow the link below to find out more about the history of the Shrewsbury Canal, and the Newport Canal.

Opened in 1835, the Newport Canal was originally known as the Newport Branch of the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal (BLJ). It connected the Shrewsbury Canal to the national canal network, playing a key role in linking local industry to the wider world. At the time it opened, the railways were already starting to transport goods much faster than the canals. As a result, the prime of the Newport Canal was for a short, but important, period only.

Follow the link below to visit the extensive archive of photographs of the Newport Canal, and of the Shrewsbury Canal.