Wednesday, 1 October 2025
Rochdale Canal - the story
Pennine Heritage has published A Pennine Canal - Rise and Renewal: A Pictorial History, a new book that tells the remarkable story of the Rochdale Canal through rare photographs and images from their digital archive. The book traces the canal's journey from its ambitious construction in the early 19th century, through decades of decline, to its celebrated restoration as a vital part of Britain's waterway network.
This new book uses our amazing Pennine Heritage Digital Archive, which has over 70,000 images, to tell the story of the rise, fall and renewal of the Rochdale Canal.
Not only can you see rarely seen before pictures, but you can see just how important the canal has been to the prosperity of the area over the last two centuries.
Copies of the book are £9.99 and can be ordered from the Birchcliffe Centre by contactinginfo@pennineheritage.org.uk or calling 01422 844 450.
See also