A history of the Leawood Arm

THE Friends of the Cromford Canal has published The Cromford Canal’s Leawood Arm: A History as a companion volume to Cromford Wharf: A History.

Archivist Hugh Potter has delved into the documents and images held in the FCC’s extensive archives to compile this new booklet, fully illustrated with maps and photographs. The Cromford Canal’s Leawood Arm summarises the fascinating and complex story of a very short arm of the canal, just a mile from its terminus at Cromford.

Opened in 1802 it was originally only 400 yards long, yet in less than 20 years it was cut in half thanks to acrimonious disputes over water rights between Peter Nightingale (Florence Nightingale’s great uncle), the Cromford Canal Company and the prestigious owners of mills lower down the Derwent Valley. It is a story of mystery and intrigue.

The iconic Aqueduct Cottage at the junction of the arm with the main canal has recently undergone remarkable restoration and is shortly to open as an information centre.

Still largely intact today, the Leawood Arm offers an attractive wooded walk in the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

Copies of The Cromford Canal’s Leawood Arm cost just £3 (plus £1 p&p) and are available from the online shop at www. cromfordcanal.org, or you can send a cheque for £ 4 payable to ‘Friends of the Cromford Canal’ to Yvonne Shattower, 264 Bennett Street, Long Eaton, Nottingham NG10 4JA.

Copies of Cromford Wharf: A History are also still available at the same price.