Wyrley Essington Canal - Birmingham Canal Navigations

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Wyrley and Essington Canal (The Curly Wyrley)

The Parliamentary Act was passed in 1792 and the canal, built by William Pitt, was opened in 1797 to serve the towns and industry developing around the South Staffordshire Coalfield. It was a typical 'contour' canal with a circuitous route to avoid the need for locks hence its nickname 'The Curly Wyrley'.

The canal runs from Wolverhampton via Wednesfield towards the coalfields at Essington and Great Wyrley (with a now disused branch), Bloxwich, Pelsall and Chasewater. A number of links were added to connect with the Staffs & Worcs Canal, Coventry Canal and Walsall town centre. A reservoir was built at Chasewater to top up the water for the series of locks connecting with the Coventry Canal.

Horseley Fields Junction to Bentley Bridge Junction

The canal starts in Wolverhampton at Horseley Fields Junction with the Birmingham Canal. There were wharves and basins on both sides of the canal.




The canal passes through Heath Town. Council housing was built in the 1920s on the Old Heath colliery site to the east of the canal. Industrial premises were developed alongside the canal and railway.



Emerging beneath the railway bridges the canal reaches the former colliery and open cast site at Bowmans Harbour and Bentley Bridge.






The Bentley Canal survives as a basin within the new retail development.

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