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canal, under authority of the first act of parliament passed respecting it, commenced at Wyrley Bank, in the county of Stafford; and from thence, running at first in a southerly course over Essington Wood and Snead Common, and thence south-easterly by Bloxwich, it proceeded to near Birch Hill, in the parish of Walsall; near Snead Common a cut was made from it, which taking a westerly course, and passing by Wednesfield, joined the Birmingham Canal near Wolverhampton. By the act obtained in 1794 for extending this canal, another cut was made, which, commencing at Birch Hill, took a northerly direction as far as Pelsall Wood, and from thence passing in an easterly course by Brown Hills, Cats Hill, a little to the south of Lichfield, and by Treford, it connects with the Coventry Canal near Huddlesford; there are also two branches; one from near Cats Hill to Hay Head Lime Works, and the other from near Pelsall Wood to Lords Hay; besides a small branch to a colliery on the south side of Essington Wood.

The act of 1792 is entitled, 'An Act for making and maintaining a navigable Canal from, or from near, Wyrley Bank, in the county of Stafford, to communicate with the Birmingham and Birmingham and Fazeley Canal, at or near the town of Wolverhampton, in the said county; and also certain collateral Cuts therein described from the said intended Canal.' It incorporates the subscribers to the undertaking by the name of "The Company of Proprietors of the Wyrley and Essington Navigation," and empowers them to raise amongst themselves, for the purposes of the act, the sum of £25,000, in two hundred shares of £125 each, and, if necessary, a further sum of £20,000, either amongst themselves or by mortgage of the tolls and rates, and to take the following tonnage rates.