Monument Type(s):

• CANAL BRIDGE (17th century to Late 19th century - 1600 AD to 1899 AD)
• TRAMWAY (17th century to Late 19th century - 1600 AD to 1899 AD)
• WHARF (17th century to Late 19th century - 1600 AD to 1899 AD)
• WHARFINGERS COTTAGE (19th century - 1800 AD to 1899 AD)

Summary

Crickheath Wharf on the Shropshire Union Canal first shown on 19th century mapping.

Related records

Associated Finds: None recorded

Associated Events

• ESA4677 - 2000 - 2002 Shelton WTW - Llanforda Pipeline Assessment by SCCAS
• ESA6395 - 1993 field observation of damage to the Montgomery Canal's heritage by G. Deamer
• ESA8870 - 2018 WB at Crickheath Wharf, Montgomery Canal by Martin Cook

Description

Shown on the tithe map of 1838 <1> and subsequently on 1st edition 6" and 2nd edition 25" Ordnance Survey mapping. <2><3>

Noted during a desk based assessment on the proposed route of the Llanforda Quality Improvement scheme in 2002. The canal bridge is a late 18th-century brick canal bridge built in the Pioneering style. The arch and parapets of the bridge are recorded as in good condition. The canal bed wing walls of the bridge were seen to run c.13m north of the canal bridge itself. The wing wall on the west bank was seen to be in good condition, with its iron rubbing-strake still in place. The canal bed was noted as partially silted up at this point. <4>

Noted as mainly early 19th century. Well preserved remains of stone built linear wharf being the interchange between the canal and the Porthywaen limestone tramroad. Origins 1809 or shortly afterwards. Two cottages were identified as part of the wharf. Crickheath Cottage, c.1840, stone built with brick detail; Pearrtee cottage, c.1810 - a wharfinger's house, much altered: an inn at some point possibly? <5>

Briefly described…"The linear wharf was quite sizeable and still survives albeit covered by undergrowth." <6>

Photographed in 1997 (general views). <7>

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken at Crickheath Wharf, Montgomery Canal (centred on SJ 29231 23543). The project was undertaken during restoration of a short length of the canal between Bridge 85 and a point a little to the north of a winding hole on the offside of the canal. The project was undertaken to record a sample of a length of drystone walling supporting the towpath, the bridge forebay walls and a maintenance punt recovered from the vicinity of the winding hole. ->

-> The project recorded a length of towpath support walling, the adjacent bridge forebay walling, a maintenance punt and various ceramic finds from the silts of the canal and winding point. A length of tramway rail was also found.
<8>

<01> Shropshire Archives, 2003, Collection of Scanned copies of the Foxall Tithe Award Map Transcriptions (Map). SSA22368.

<02> Ordnance Survey, c1872-1897, OS County Series 1:10560 (6 inch) maps (1st edition) - digital dataset (Map). SSA22419.

<03> Ordnance Survey, c1899-1903, OS County Series 1:2500 maps (2nd edition) - digital dataset (Map). SSA20952.

<04> Hannaford Hugh R, 2002, Llanforda Quality Improvement: a desk based assessment and walkover survey: Eyton Pump House to Llynclys, Site 18 (Deskbased survey report). SSA20854.

<05> Deamer G, 1993, The conservation of the built environment on the Montgomery Canal: a memorandum addressed to the Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust [draft], Appendix C (Deskbased survey report). SSA23414.

<06> Deamer G, 1989, A gazetteer of selected remains along the Llanymynech Branch of the Ellesmere Canal (Article in monograph). SSA30542.

<07> Anon, 1997, Montgomery Canal photographs, July 1997, p.28 (Field survey report). SSA23851.

<08> Cook M and MacLeod S, 2018, Archaeological watching brief at Crickheath Wharf, Montgomery Canal (Watching brief report). SSA30676.

Sources

Search results generated by the HBSMR Gateway from exeGesIS SDM Ltd.