The December 2024 storms, particularly Storm Darragh, and the New Year snow storms and flooding in England and Wales, once more highlights the vulnerability of Industrial Heritage sites to the increasing number of severe weather events brought about by Climate Change.

Storm Darragh (7-8 December 2024) affected large areas of Britain and Ireland with high winds and rain, the South West England being particularly badly hit. Here, ‘do not travel’ warnings meant that industrial sites open over that weekend had to close, including National Trust properties, heritage railways, and canals in this this area. Further afield, some other industial sites also closed on the Saturday, such as Ironbridge. The Canal and River Trust reported that the Kennet and Avon Canal remained closed in January as a result of storm damage in December (silt accummulation and fallen trees).

In early January 2025 the snow storms and rainfall during the period 4th to 6th January saw further site closures, with the canal system badly affect. Most of the canals in the north-west Midlands and North West England were closed to navigation, whilst the heavy rain resulted in the collapse of a towpath on the Huddersfield Canal in Saddleworth. Most seriously, the large volume of rain at the beginning of January led to a breach along the 18th century Bridgewater Canal, just south of the Bollin Aqueduct on the Cheshire/Greater Manchester border. There was a historic breach near this area in 1971. The canal is a privavely run waterway, and not part of the CRT estate.

For advice and help in protecting and improving the resilience of industrial heritage sites from Climate Change in Englnad Historic England has several useful guides. Their advice and guidance on dealing with the threat of flooding to historic buildings can be found here: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/technical-advice/flooding-and-historic-buildings/

Historic England also undertake research on climate change risk to heritage sites. This can be foudn here: https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/climate-change/risks-and-hazards/

The Canal and River Trust also have research and advice about the impact of climate change on England’s waterways which can be found here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/ and here: https://canalrivertrust.org.uk/our-cause/threats-to-our-waterways/climate-change