The Uttoxeter Canal was built in 1811. Unfortunately use of the new waterway was short lived and by 1850 it was closed, much of the line of the canal being used by the North Staffordshire Railway. The railway in turn closed and much of the route reverted to farm land. The rural location of this canal means that very little of the line has subsequently been lost to development.

Having completed the lock and basin at Froghall, the Trust has now turned its attention to the rest of the Uttoxeter Canal. Having completed preliminary surveys, the Trust is now about to commision a formal feasibility study to see whether restoration of this remarkable waterway could be achieved.

Despite the best attentions of the railway, a number of unique features still exist, most notably Crumpwood weir, where the canal crosses the River Churnet on top of a weir, a design which is unique in this country, if not the world.

Elsewhere the canal passes through rural countryside as it heads down the Churnet Valley to Uttoxeter, passing within walking distance of the world famours Alton Towers leisure park on the way. One major obstacle near Rocester is the giant JCB factory which was built on the line of the canal. However our current plans would terminate the canal in an area which is currently a gravel pit but which will be worked out and ready for redevelopment in a few years. The new line of the canal in this area mean that the blockage can be bypassed.