Old Double Lock, St Helens, Merseyside
The old double lock is in Blackbrook Road. It is a two-rise staircase lock at the head of a branch of the main Sankey Canal. It was built in 1758 from stone. The gates have been removed and the lock is preserved as a cascade. This is the oldest British example of a staircase lock. The Sankey Canal opened in 1757. It was built by businessmen from Liverpool who wanted to transport coal from mines at St Helens and Haydock to the River Mersey. It was built before the Bridgewater canal and can claim to be the first canal. It had nine locks, the earliest staircase lock and a small boatyard and dry dock at Warrington
