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Listed Building record MDR9304 - Canal Warehouse, Whaley Bridge Wharf, Whaley Bridge

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status/Designation

Full Description

Canal warehouse, Whaley Bridge Wharf, Whaley Bridge, built in 1801. 'A large gritstone warehouse dated 1832 at the southern end of the Peak Forest Canal Basin, but with what appears to be a different but now illegible date at the northern end [1984]. Now used as a garage.' (1) 'The first warehouse at Whaley Bridge was erected in July 1801. The lower two storeys of what was originally a three-storey building can be seen today at the north end of the present warehouse. A single storey extension to the south was built in 1832 which covered railway sidings on either side of the canal. The original warehouse lost its top storey in 1916. The internal drop-security door and its associated mechanism may still be seen within.' (2) 'Large, rectangular transhipment building, constructed of long regular gritstone blocks. There are three arches in the north and south sides of the building (the narrow ends). The middle arch is wide and squat for the canal to pass under, with a tall narrow arch on either side for trains or wagons to go through. There are large carefully dressed gritstone quoins around the arches and wooden shutters/doors to close the arches. The canal continues beyond the southern end of the building for approximately 6m. Above the southern canal arch there is a plaque bearing the inscription 'AD 1832'. The building has three double-sloping roofs, one above each archway, running the length of the building. On the eastern elevation, there are eight windows with gritstone lintels and sills. On the western elevation there are four windows, (at the south end), two on each side of a large wooden shuttered doorway. There are gritstone blocks and a wooden top to the doorway. At the northern end of the west side of the building there are three smaller windows and doorway with a wooden top. On the north side, the canal enters the centre of the building, through a long, low rectangular hole with a metal girder at the top and gritstone quoins. There is a large window above and another to the west, above this there is a small chimney. East of the boat entry point is a long rectangular hole divided in two by a large gritstone block, with gritstone quoins. Between the boat entry point and double doors there is a hoist fixed to the wall. A metal arm is attached to a central beam by two parallel iron rods. The central beam is fixed to the wall with a large iron bracket. At the base of the beam there are a series of cogs and wheels used to raise and lower the crane.' (7) Listed Grade II. (8) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 0181 1/7 WHALEY BRIDGE CANAL WHARF (east side) Canal Warehouse at end of Peak Forest Canal 18.12.72 GV II* Dated 1832, altered in 1915. Rubble warehouse straddling the canal, which ends in a basin just beyond. Built as a trans-shipment shed between the Peak Forest Canal and the High Peak Tramway (completed 1831). Basin elevation has two segmental-headed openings in rusticated reveals with keystones for the tramway entrances, with a lower similar boat entry to centre. Plaque to gable and stone coped gable ends. Side elevation of five windows with stone lintels and three smaller windows. The other side elevation now altered for use as a garage. Canal elevation has one hoist door over 1,1 window over boat entry to centre and one window to right. Listing NGR: SK0118681620.' (9)

Sources/Archives (9)

  • <1> Bibliographic reference: Fowkes, D. 1984. Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology - A Gazetteer of Sites. Part I. Borough of High Peak. 30.
  • <2> Index: Lamb, B. Index Record for Industrial Sites, Peak Forest Canal. BL 06; BL 14.
  • <3> Bibliographic reference: Marshall, J. 1996. The Cromford & High Peak Railway. 18.
  • <4> Bibliographic reference: Rimmer, A. 1998. The Cromford and High Peak Railway. 62, 66.
  • <5> Bibliographic reference: Jones, N & Bentley, M. 2000. Scenes from the Past: 37 (Part One) Railways of the High Peak. 'Whaley Bridge to Friden'. 9.
  • <6> Photograph: ARCUS. 2003. Cromford & High Peak Railway and Peak Forest Tramway Survey, Project 738b. Digital photograph. 514-517.
  • <7> Archive: Jessop, O. 2003. Cromford & High Peak Railway and Peak Forest Tramway Survey. ARCUS 738b. Feature number: 383.
  • <8> Bibliographic reference: Fowkes, D (ed.). 2004. Derbyshire Industrial Archaeology: A Gazetteer of Sites, Part I, Borough of High Peak (second edition). 44.
  • <9> Listed Building File: Historic England. 2011. The National Heritage List for England. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1088081?section=official-list-entry.

Map

Location

Grid reference SK 01186 81620 (point)
Civil Parish WHALEY BRIDGE, HIGH PEAK, DERBYSHIRE

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (1)

  • EDR1790

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Record last edited

Mar 17 2026 6:36PM

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