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This is the Trent and Mersey Canal in Longport, Stoke-on-Trent, opened in 1777. The canal links the River Trent to the River Mersey, and the project was masterminded by pottery manufacturer Josiah Wedgwood and engineer James Brindley. It enabled the pottery manufacturers of nearby Burslem to export their wares more quickly and more safely to the world's markets via the key ports of Hull and Liverpool. This was key to Staffordshire's dominance of the trade. The importance of the canals to the ceramic industry is well illustrated by the photograph, with piles of ceramic wares and the area's trade-mark bottle ovens lining the water's edge. Nowadays, industry is less intense. The canal and nearby Westport Lake have become a focus for leisure activities, including walking, fishing and cycling on the new National Cycle Network. Stoke-on- Trent Museums Services Your Comments (0)
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