Hadfield’s British Canals revised

8th edition, Sutton Publishing, 1998; 343pp; £12.99;

With 1000 miles of navigable rivers and 3000 miles of planned or built canals throughout Great Britain and Ireland, a wealth of detail covers the historical, social and commercial rationale purpose and background of every element.

Originally written by Charles Hadfield, this 8th edition (since 1950) has been updated and extended and, supporte by a comprehensive index and bibliography, it is possible to establish the story of any part of the system or any particular period of history. From the first, built by the Romans, through the middle ages when the rivers and coastal waters were the only way of moving bulk or heavy cargoes, into the mid 18thC when “canal mania” took off, the efforts of private individuals and numerous companies are described, resulting in the interconnecting spiders web of routes before a similar explosion in railway and then road building led to decline and much dereliction.

With many black and white illustrations and small scale maps, this edition brings the tale forward to include the introduction of pleasure and amenity uses up to the present day, with the hire fleets and the reinstatement or adaptation of so many facilities by enthusiasts and canalside developers. JDC