Isn't life amazing? No sooner does one 1769 map surface than another comes along as well.

You may have seen the map we put on the website a few weeks ago (click here if you missed it). That was picked up by NarrowBoat magazine who published it in their Spring issue. The Editor, Hugh Potter, then sent us a copy of a letter from Grant Gibson in Hertfordshire, with another 1769 map - see below, or click here to download the full sized (4 MB) version.

There are many interesting features about this map. At the Chesterfield end, it has the canal crossing the River Rother. This never happened, it went into the Rother with the basin coming off higher up. Norwood Tunnel is much shorter than shown here. However easily the biggest difference is that the canal in this plan goes to Gainsborough. As built, the canal goes north from Hayton (east of Retford) and turns east after going through Drakeholes Tunnel which goes through the line of hills that include Gringley-on-the-Hill. It enters the River Trent at West Stockwith which is north of Gainsborough.

We have published this map with the kind permission of Grant Gibson, who has donated it to the Trust. Thank you very much. We will have it framed and put up in Hollingwood Hub.