Bridgewater 250: Researching the archaeology and history of the first industrial canal

This chapter introduces the archaeology of the Bridgewater Canal. It looks at the canal as a tourist attraction, its impact on the regional 18th century coal industry in Manchester, the role of the Worsley collieries, the choice of the route, the roles of Brindley and Gilbert, and the cost. It concludes with a proposed research agenda for researching the Bridgewater Canal in the 21st century