East Anglian Waterways Association
http://eawa.co.uk/stamford.html
The Stamford Canal
We think the confusion over just where the Stamford Canal starts and finishes can be overcome by our choosing our nomenclature more carefully.
The River Welland was at one time navigable all the way up to Stamford but over the years the upper reaches became impassable.
It was to overcome this that Stamford Corporation was granted its Royal Charter in 1621. The corporation was empowered, firstly, to make an artificial cut, separate from the river, from Hudds Mill some six and a half miles through ten locks down to Market Deeping, where the cut was to rejoin the river.
And secondly to make the river navigable for a further two and a half miles southwards from Market Deeping through two locks. From there the river was presumably in a reasonable navigable condition.
Hence I have always regarded the Stamford Canal as stopping at Market Deeping where it rejoined the Welland to the west of the main crossroads in the town - i.e. downstream of Market Deeping Mill and lock and upstream of Market Deeping Bridge. How this junction came to be known as Tongue End, very close to Market Deeping town center, (Lot 21 1865 auction) I have no idea, but perhaps the name derives from the tip of land where the canal and river met at a fairly acute angle being shaped like a tongue.
To my mind we could perhaps overcome the confusion by referring to the whole nine-mile navigation as the Stamford Navigation, of which the Stamford Canal formed an important part.
I say "formed" for most of the line has disappeared with the stretch in Market Deeping having been filled in.
This also helps understand the nonsense of the head of the navigation being quoted as Hudds Mill, where the canal section began, whereas the main wharves were on the river on the way up to the town bridge.
Its thought that lighters came up in threes. Dropping one off in West Deeping, another in Tallington and the last one proceeding up into Stamford. Once unloaded, then reloaded with outbound goods it would head back collecting the ready and reloaded lighters in each village.
Many thanks to Ken for taking the time to show me the remaining features. And for sharing his knowledge about the canal.
< Back Link to a source of Stamford Canal information
The Stamford Canal << The earliest proper canal in England? <<
