Old canal branches

Across from you were two canal arms, stretching across what's now that grassy area. They fed the Iron works with fuel and raw material and helped transport finished products out again. To your left, more canal branches led to the wharves and factories of New Islington. There is almost nothing left to see of these now - but there are one or two clues which you'll see in a few minutes.

This tour will now take you off the canal into the lost world of industrial Holt Town. If you like, you can follow the Ashton Canal towpath all the way to Ashton and the Portland Basin Museum. If you do, you'll pass many old industrial buildings, like the Brunswick Mill further along on the left, many waiting to be redeveloped.

Ahead is a lock and you can use this to cross the canal to the grassy side.