Hardy Guide history
A Guide to the Driffield Navigation Peter Hardy 1983.
page 8
A Brief History
In the Eighteenth Century the River Hull was both drainage channel and transport artery for the Plain of Holderness. However the upper reaches of the river could only be navigated with care, at high water, to Wansford
In 1767 local traders. led by Thomas Porter of the Blue Bell Inn, Driffield proposed an improvement scheme for the River Hull upstream of Aike Beck, to enable boats to navigate to Driffield. In 1767 the Driffield Navigation Act authorised construction of 5 miles of canal with 4 locks and a towpath between Wansford and Driffield which was opened in 1770 as an amenity for the community, not a profit making venture.
Construction of the Canal did not radically improve communication to Driffield and the next 30 years saw considerable effort and money spent on further dredging. Improvements were clearly necessary and an Act of Parliament of 1801 empowered improvements of West Beck and Frodingham Beck to enable vessels to reach Corps Landing (Hutton Cranswick) and Frodingham Bridge respectively. A towpath between Beverley Beck and Wansford was also authorised. Most important though was the straightening of the River Hull between Frodingham Beck and a new lock at Struncheon Hill to eradicate the difficult shoals below Wansford. These works, which were completed in 1803, foreshadowed a period of relative prosperity, the new works being paid for in 20 years.
The coming of the railways and the Hull to Scarborough line in 1846 particularly threatened the Navigation's prosperity. A more direct threat to build a light railway from Beverley to North Frodingham, via Brandesburton never materialised (although the proposed line of 1901 appears on a wall tile map at Beverley Station). Unlike many canals the Driffield Canal successfully fought off railway takeover by reducing tolls and thus remained and independent entity.
However there was little money for maintenance and commercial traffic ended in 1951. The last Commissioners ceased to become quorate to elect successors in 1960 but the canal was not forgotten. With the growth of pleasure boating, sailing and increased leisure time generally the Navigation saw a re-birth in the last half of this century. (See Ch.5).