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Langley Mill Lock

At one time, three canals met at Langley Mill, all of them built to serve the coalfield and industry of the Nottinghamshire/Derbyshire border. By the 1950s traffic had ceased on all three (Cromford, Erewash and Nottingham)and the basin here was filled in. However, the Erewash Canal from the River Trent near Long Eaton was still required to supply water to Stanton Ironworks near Ilkeston. This eventually allowed its restoration for pleasure cruising and Langley Mill could once again be reached by boat. Langley Mill Lock is, however, technically no. 14 lock on the Cromford Canal, although that canal only extends a few hundred yards north of here. There is an aspiration to restore more of that canal, but the Nottingham Canal has been lost for ever.