Graving Dock, off Mill Leat Close, Parbold
Location/Address
Graving Dock, off Mill Leat Close, Parbold
Type
Other site, structure or landscape
Assets that cannot fit any of the other categories. This category includes sites of archaeological interest, where the original form and function may not be apparent without the use of archaeological techniques and interpretation.
Description
LLB101 - The dock is now very overgrown with trees and bushes - only the outline can still be seen. A sculpture ‘The Angel’ enhances the aesthetic value. The area has been landscaped in the past, included being bounded by wooden railings. Dock is no longer used for its original purpose (repair of ships) as it was closed in 1943. The entrance to the dock is now used as a winding hole and mooring. Stone walls of dock remain in situ.
Statement of Significance
Architectural and Artistic Interest
Beside the dock is a sculpture and poem, installed 2001. The sculpture (‘The Angel’) is inspired by the last boat to be built in the dock and was created by Andrew Shaw with help from the local community and schools. Poem written by Brian Harrison.Group Value
Other canal related infrastructure exists in the surrounding area, including a former canal-side warehouse and remains of a former wharf (now Mill Leat Close/Mill Leat Mews).Historic Interest
Believed to be the beginning of a proposed spur of the Canal to Mawdesley, never completed but subsequently turned into a Graving Dock. Boat building became an established local industry in Parbold as early as 1786, and the graving dock continued in use until 1943. Physical evidence of Parbold’s beginnings as a settlement involved in stone quarrying, coal mining, and as a centre for the transport of agricultural produce, with the establishment of stockyards and large-scale corn milling.
Date Listed
06 Oct 2021
Last Updated
06 Oct 2021
Find Out More
Find out more about this Asset in Lancashire Local List:
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/lancashire/asset/906
https://local-heritage-list.org.uk/lancashire/asset/906