Today (Thursday 17 July 2025) marks 264 years since the opening of the Bridgewater Canal, a feat of engineering that helped shape the modern world.
Commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, the canal officially opened on 17 July 1761. Designed to transport coal from the Duke’s mines in Worsley in Salford to Manchester, it became the world’s first true ‘cut’ canal, charting its own course rather than following a natural river.
Its success dramatically reduced the price of coal and inspired a wave of canal building across Britain, earning its reputation as the spark that ignited the Industrial Revolution. In its time, it was as transformational as the railways would be 80 years later, or the internet in our own era.
At The Bridgewater Hall, we proudly carry its name, a tribute to this local achievement that had global impact. The canal basin just outside the Hall serves as a daily reminder of the region’s pioneering spirit, and our staff regularly join forces with Manchester City Council, local businesses like Society, and the Canal & River Trust to help care for this important space.
As Salford prepares to mark its centenary in 2026, today offers the perfect moment to reflect on how this stretch of water helped change the course of history.
Learn more about the canal’s history: www.est1761.org