People will soon be able to experience the historic Slea Navigation for themselves on a new narrowboat which itself pays tribute to the town’s history.
For many years Sleaford Navigation Trust has held the aspiration to run a trip boat on the River Slea in Sleaford. The team have seen the success of similar boats elsewhere in providing an enhanced visitor experience and at the same time making the case for further restoration of the waterway in question.
The Trust is delighted that this aspiration for a trip boat is now becoming a reality, with support from North Kesteven District Council utilising the Government’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
With this support, the Trust has been able to commission the build of a new 30-foot steel narrowboat shell by HD Narrowboats near Foston and which has now been lifted into place on the River Slea. The lift took place on Tuesday 13 August, managed carefully by the Sleaford Navigation Trust team.
After considerable deliberation, the narrowboat has been named Benjamin Handley in honour of this historic Sleaford figure and father of Henry Handley who himself is commemorated in the Handley Monument.
The narrowboat will now be fitted out internally by the Sleaford Navigation Trust team together with volunteers, and when fully complete will carry twelve passengers at a time between The Hub and Cogglesford Watermill. It’s hoped the first trips on the narrowboat can take place in spring. For now, the boat will remain moored securely near The Hub while the internal woodwork, lighting and seating are installed from August through to October.
Public response to the narrowboat has been encouraging and several people have already expressed interest to the Trust in being involved in both the internal fit-out of the boat and in its operation. Anyone interested can find more on the Sleaford Navigation Trust website or email sleaford.navigation@ntlworld.com
Chairman of Sleaford Navigation Trust Chris Hayes said:
"It’s really exciting to see our boat, Benjamin Handley, in Sleaford and we look forward to being able to welcome people on board next year."
North Kesteven District Council Leader Councillor Richard Wright said:
"The narrowboat will offer an entirely new experience; allowing people not just to enjoy part of the Slea by boat but also to hear all about the ways in which the Slea Navigation brought prosperity and growth to the area after it originally opened in 1794.
"The trips will require the lifting bridge to raise for the boat to pass underneath, which will add another dimension. It’s also an invitation to explore nearby Navigation House – an original canal company office thought to be the only one of its kind still in existence – and to delve even further back into local history at Cogglesford Watermill where stone milling is powered naturally by the river.
"After disembarking there’s of course food and drink, leisure, shopping, history and more in Sleaford town centre to complete your visit, and the narrowboat also opens up opportunities for community and educational use led by the Trust."
It’s hoped that the boat can also be utilised for organised school or group trips to take in all of the heritage along the river as one joined-up experience. The trips are not about making a large profit, rather just enough to sustainably manage the maintenance costs while bringing visitors to the river and into the town.
The UKSPF funding also provides for training for the boat’s crew, and clearance in autumn of an excess of silt and vegetation along the route. This will also enhance the Slea riverbed, increasing the flow of the water which better supports fish to spawn. A new landing stage will also be built at Cogglesford Watermill.
The boat will be going at a very slow pace and will operate only within set times – initially just on the weekends, and in warmer weather – to avoid disturbance to the river and the wildlife along it.
So who was Benjamin Handley? He was the father of Henry Handley who is commemorated in the Handley Monument and was a highly regarded banker in Sleaford. As Treasurer of the Company of the Proprietors of Sleaford Navigation for over 30 years, he helped found and fund the enterprise.
Handley, of Peacock, Handley & Kirton Bank, had actually loaned money from his own resources without charging interest and had even run the company’s finances through his own personal bank account. Perhaps not an acceptable banking practice today! His bank was in the building currently housing the Sleaford branch of Lloyds Bank in North Gate. Without him, the venture may never have been successful. He was sufficiently influential to be able to involve Sir Joseph Banks and William Jessop, the eminent engineer, in the project and significantly advance the cause. Banks helped to ensure the Enablement Act to create the Navigation was passed by Parliament in 1792 while Jessop’s expertise was put to good use in the detailed planning of work to adapt the waterway.
In 1794, a solid silver cup with engraved waterway scenes was presented to Benjamin Handley, shortly after the opening of the Navigation, in gratitude for his help and support. The Handley Cup was a testament to the regard in which he was held by the Company of the Proprietors of the Sleaford Navigation. For many years, the location of the cup was unknown but, in 1995, it was presented to Sleaford Navigation Trust on the death of a life member, Mrs Graham, who lived in South Africa. No-one is certain as to how or why it travelled to South Africa as Mrs Graham was not aware of any family connection with Benjamin Handley. Nevertheless, the Trust was delighted to receive it from Mrs. Graham’s daughter and son-in- law who brought it back to Sleaford.
For more on UK Shared Prosperity Fund projects in North Kesteven, see our UK Shared Prosperity Fund webpages and sign up for the Council’s Levelling Up e-newsletter
You can also follow @northkestevendc and @sleafornavigationtrust on social media, where you can see more about the boat and track its progress.
It’s only a short boat trip between the Hub and Cogglesford Watermill – what will make it worthwhile?
The boat will offer a new experience for visitors and it is hoped that the information given while they are on board will increase their understanding and awareness of the history and heritage of the waterway. While the distance travelled is not great, it is not uniquely so and the trip will also occasion the lifting of the bridge for the boat to pass underneath. This will certainly add another dimension to the activity. This different mode of transport may well encourage people to visit Cogglesford Watermill, while the insight into the history of the Sleaford Navigation could be an incentive to find out more in Navigation House. It is hoped that it will be possible to include the boat ride in an organised group experience where time is shared with those two sites. This could be offered to groups of people drawn from a wide range of ages from school pupils to the retired.
How will you minimise any noise and disruption while the narrowboat fit-out takes place?
There will be a certain amount of noise while the fit out takes place (some sawing, drilling etc) but Sleaford Navigation Trust will ensure this is kept to a minimum. The fit out will be limited to daytime hours only.
How will the trip boat be run, when it’s open?
The narrowboat will carry a maximum of 12 passengers. The boat will be skippered and crewed by trained volunteers. Passengers will be able to embark and disembark at the existing landing stage at The Hub, and also the new landing stage that is being built at Cogglesford Watermill.
Will the boat be used year-round?
Consideration has to be given to the training of volunteers and availability of people to help run it. Equally, piloting a boat all day in cold weather, is not ideal. SNT envisage the boat will initially run over weekends during the warmer weather, between the hours of 10am and 4pm. Once the boat is more established, they will look at providing more pleasure trips on weekdays, especially during the school holidays. They will also be looking to hold some seasonal themed events such as Halloween and Christmas.
What kind of engine will the boat have, and will it be noisy?
The boat will have a diesel engine. The Sleaford Navigation Trust did explore using an electric engine but due to costs this unfortunately wasn’t possible at the time. The engine is new and will be going at a very slow pace, so won’t be noisy.
Have you considered whether there will be any environmental impact from the project?
The Navigation Trust commissioned an Ecology Survey in April 2024 to ensure the project has minimal impact on the wildlife on that section of the River Slea, which they own. At every stage, they have also consulted with the Environment Agency and have worked closely with them in connection with several projects on the waterway which have incorporated ecological enhancements. They have also liaised with some similar trip boat operators and are happy that the craft are run in synergy with the wildlife in those areas.
- The boat will be manned by trained people and will not travel at speed, so as not to impact the wild fowl/swans. This has also been demonstrated in other canal/waterways around the country.
- The Navigation Trust envisages the boat will run within set hours - initially run over weekends, during the warmer weather, between the hours of 10am and 4pm.
- The clearance works will enhance the condition of the riverbed and increase the flow of the water. This helps keep riverbed free of silt build-up, which in turn better supports fish including trout to spawn.
Will the Navigation Trust be charging for the pleasure trips?
The boat trip experience is not about making a large profit, rather just enough to sustainably manage the maintenance costs and also bring visitors to the river and into the town. The pricing and the options for single/return ticketing is still being refined by SNT.
Have you considered security for the boat and risk of any anti-social behaviour?
When not in use, the boat will be moored up at the landing stage by The Hub. The boat will be locked after hours, and additional security measures including removable metal window-protection are fitted. New CCTV cameras have been installed on the walls of the Hub providing 24-hour monitoring, as part of a wider upgrade of the town’s coverage via another UKSPF project.