A beautiful canalside home with mooring and covered slipway

Water's Edge is a wonderful detached canalside bungalow on the market through Barber's. It is set in a leafy and picturesque rural location, between bridge No 8 and bridge No 9 on the beautiful Llangollen canal, giving you immediate access to the entire canal network via the Shropshire Union Canal. Across the rear of the garden there is an incredible 90 feet of canal frontage. This includes a straight length of in-line mooring of about 45 feet, but the total area (which curves slightly) can accomodate a boat up to at least 58 feet, and possibly more, subject to CRT permission. A previous owner moored here, so this a strong contender for a successful re-application. There is also a fabulous boathouse on one side of the garden, covering a slipway sloping down to the canal, which is a huge bonus if you own a trailable boat or enjoy kayaking or SUP. This boathouse and slipway is included in the property title, so as far as is known, it is not subject to any CRT agreement.

Here are some photos of the property today, kindly provided by Barber's:

Further photos, measurements, and full details are available from the estate agents, but here's a brief summary:

The bungalow comprises of an entrance porch opening to a reception hall with elegant parquet flooring; a spacious cosy sitting room featuring a large bay window and log burner; a bright and airy garden room which serves as a dining room and has patio doors opening onto the garden with beautiful views over the canal; a practical kitchen with an additional utility room; a main bedroom and a second bedroom, each with an en-suite shower room; two further bedrooms; a separate bathroom. The interior of the property is bright and welcoming, with its large picture windows bathing it with light and maximising the connection between the house and its stunning setting.

Outside, there are tranquil, attractive, level gardens to the front and the rear. The gardens are meticulously maintained. There is a sweeping in and out driveway, secured by two sets of electric gates. The large double garage has additional space for day boat storage and provides direct access to the boathouse.

The property is within easy striking distance of the bustling town of Nantwich, which has a mainline railway station with quick connections to Crewe and the onward national rail network. The busy market town of Whitchurch is about 11 miles away. 

Viewing is strictly by arrangement with Barber's at 34 High Street, Whitchurch, Shropshire, SY13 1BB, telephone 01948 667272, or email whitchurch@barbers-online.co.uk.

I thought I would look briefly into the history of the area. The map below was published in 1898. Water's Edge is to the south, below plot 251, on the west (offside) bank.

The wharf was chiefly used for coal, but also for lime, salt, and bone manure, and for a while it was one of three wharfs operated as depots by a Chester coal merchant called Davenport's (1889).

I found a great description of the properties at Swanley Wharf in this advertisement, which was printed when they came up for auction in 1893.

Thomas Jacques was also a marine store dealer. Now some of you might suppose that a marine store was a type of chandlery, but no; actually this is an old term for a scrap dealer, so I don't suppose that Swanley over a hundred years ago was anything like as picturesque as it is today, especially when you consider that in 1896, the Rural District Council expressed their displeasure at the condition of the road by the wharf.

Mr J Corbett drew attention to the dangerous condition of the canal wharf at Henhull. He said that hundreds of loads of material for repaving the roads came by canal and the constant shovelling in the process of carting is away had worn the road into a deep hole, and consequently made the work most laborious for the men employed. Mr Berrington said that he had put a quantity of brick rubbish into the holes, but two boat loads of gravel and cement were required to make good and permanent surface, both at Henhull and Swanley wharves. After some discussion it was resolved to appoint a committee to inspect the wharves in question and report to a future meeting.

In 1914 the Jacques famly were still at Swanley, and a newspaper article confirms that Walter Jacques owned his wharf privately, and that it adjoined a smaller area of wharf rented by the Council. Walter wrote to offer the Council the use of his own wharf free of charge, if they would agree to lay it with sleepers. The Council declined his offer. By the end of the year, with Britain at war, Walter had put the wharf up to rent. He had no takers, and was still advertising it three years later. Walter Jacques died at his home at the wharf in 1937.

Water's Edge was once owned by the Slack family - the earliest reference I could find was 1964 - and I wonder whether they were the builders or first owners of the bungalow?

Could you be the next owner? Let me know!