100 SCIENTIFIC SURVEY OF NOTTINGHAM AND DISTRICT 



port remained active for a long period and for some years following 

 1841 was registered as a seaport for the collection of customs. 



During the era of the canals, the Trent served as one of the main 

 arteries of the inland waterways of England, and locally its trade was 

 extended by means of canals leading from Nottingham to several neigh- 

 bouring centres. The Nottingham Canal itself, completed in 1802, served 

 to connect the Erewash valley and faciUtate the movement of coal. The 

 Grantham Canal, which left the river near Trent Bridge, opened up the 

 agricultural region of the Vale of Belvoir. There were also the Derwent 

 and Erewash Canals. Further, in order to obviate the shallows at Wil- 

 ford which have at all times been an obstruction to navigation, it was 

 necessary to make a short lateral canal branching from the Nottingham 

 Canal and meeting the Trent again at Beeston, whence traffic could pro- 

 ceed upstream to the Trent — Mersey Canal or to the Soar Navigation. 

 The origin of the Trent Navigation Company may be traced as far back 

 as 1783 and though not at first a transport concern, the company has 

 steadfastly maintained for many years an active share in the trade of the 

 river. With the coming of the railways the Trent and its connections 

 suffered like the rest of inland waterways and trade dwindled almost to 

 the point of stagnation. Moreover as the river fell out of use the 

 channel became neglected and, quite apart from the inherent difficulties 

 of low water on certain stretches in times of drought, and dangerous 

 floods at other times, the conditions for navigation greatly deteriorated. 

 The Royal Commission on Inland Waterways, 1906, reported the river 

 inadequate and offering no certainty of through-carriage unhindered be- 

 tween Hull and either Newark or Nottingham. 



Recent years nevertheless have witnessed a striking change. Trade 

 has recovered along the whole course of the Trent from Nottingham to 

 the Humber, and upwards of 200,000 tons of goods are moved annually 

 on the Nottingham — -Newark section alone compared with a former 

 average of under 30,000 tons. This revival is due chiefly to post-War 

 improvements to the channel on several stretches and to the use of 

 modern craft fitted with a crude-oil motor which affords both a cheap 

 and convenient means of propulsion. Just as the sail barge of olden time 

 was superseded by the steam tug, so the latter is now largely replaced 

 by the self-propelled ' power barge ' as it is called. It was upon the 

 Nottingham — Newark section that the river required most attention, for 

 in parts the depth of the channel was not dependable and at several 

 points the current was difficult if not dangerous. Dredging alone could 

 not suffice owing to the gradient of the stream in this part of its course, 

 the actual fall between Holme Pierrepont (below Trent Bridge) and 

 Fiskerton (near Newark), a distance of 14^ miles, being 21 feet, i.e. over 

 17 inches per mile. Over this stretch the problem was to secure a channel 

 with a minimum depth of 6 feet, enabling 100-ton barges to reach 

 Nottingham at any season. 



The work was begun after the War when the City Corporation, exer- 

 cising its powers under an Act passed in 1915, took over from the Trent 

 Navigation Company the control of the river from Trent Bridge to the 

 Averham Weir close to Newark. By ' stepping ' the river at intervals 



