1237

 

II  

Designated  

22/12/1989  

22/12/1989  

Horseshoe Falls (partly in Llantysilio community)  

 

Denbighshire  

Llangollen  

 

Berwyn  

319501  

343337  

 

On the northern boundary of Llangollen Community. In a bend in the River Dee at the start of the Llangollen canal.  

Transport  

 

The Horseshoe Falls were constructed by the renowned engineer Thomas Telford contemporary with the Llangollen canal begun in 1804 and completed in 1808. The falls were essential to the efficient operation of a complicated and heavily used canal network and represent one of the first river regulation schemes anywhere in Britain. Water was drawn off the fast flowing River Dee into the canal which acted principally as a feeder for the Ellesmere Canal. Today 6 million gallons a day are metered into the canal. The falls are more J-shaped than horseshoe so the name may refer to the horseshoe like bend in the river.  

460 ft long masonry weir sloped down to a 4 ft vertical face with cast-iron capping to the crest. The canal water is drawn off on a high level channel to N. Sluice gate midway along has been removed; the channel curves left under a modern footbridge and then culverted under modern pumphouse into the canal. Partly in Llantysilio Community.