Construction of the Llangollen section of the Ellesmere Canal (now part of the Shropshire Union Canal)
began in 1793 under the Ellesmere Canal Act and with the Horseshoe Falls was conceived and
built from a collaboration between Thomas Telford (1757-1834) and William Jessop (1745-1814).
The Horseshoe Falls is the point where the River Dee feeds water into the canal by means of a weir
and it is this role as a water feeder which ensured its survival when other canals fell into disrepair.
It was also a boon to the slate and limestone quarrying industries, allowing the transportation
of heavy loads from Llantysilio and Pentredŵr across the Pontcysyllte and Chirk aqueducts into Shropshire.
When commercial traffic ceased, pleasure crafts took over and it is still possible to take a trip along
possibly the most beautiful stretch of canal in the country.
The eleven miles from Gledrid Bridge to the Horseshoe Falls (including the Pontcysyllte and Chirk Aqueducts)
were designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009.
More information:Thomas Telford, L.T.C. Rolt. www.cpat.org.uk www.pontcysyllte-aqueduct.co.uk