History of Ashton Branch Canal

The Ashton Canal was built between 1796-97 to join Manchester and Stockport to the coal mines in Oldham and Ashton-under-Lyne.  

Just over four miles long, with no locks, the canal ran past the mills of what is now Houldsworth Village. 

The canal was a vital artery in the area’s industrial growth and was a landmark the local community was proud of.  But the canal had been superseded by the railway by the turn of the 20th century and it fell into disuse.

The last commercial barge journey was made in the 1930s.  In 1962, the canal was declared officially closed and filled in. 

The possibility of re-opening the canal within the Houldsworth Village area is currently being investigated by the Manchester and Stockport Canal Society (MSCS) – a group which has been set up by the local community.

The reinstatement of the canal would have a significantly beneficial environmental impact for everyone living and working in the area, as well as creating a focal point for Houldsworth Village.