In September 2023. I took a photograph from Elm Road looking towards Thatto Heath. Nothing unusual, as there was land clearance in preparation for new housing. However, there would have been once the Ravenhead Canal (circa 1775-1867) on this land joining the coal mines near Elephant Lane to the Ravenhead Plate Glass Works and the Ravenhead Bottle works.
I revisited Elm Road to complete a project I started many years ago documenting in pictures the Sankey canal. I used references from an article in the St Helens Star 2005 and the Waterways routes 2016 to document where the forgotten Ravenhead Canal was in Thatto Heath.
I also went onto the Alexandra Colliery land close to The Cobs to what the land looked like behind the houses at St Johns Street. This was heavily wooded with brambles, nettles and creeping ivy. Nothing much to be seen except some stones that looked out of place amongst the bricks.
It appears that the canal was near Elm Road bridge (this was not in existence at the time of the canal) and the land would have been at a very different level when it was built. A map in one of the articles suggests that it came from Elephant Lane and there was no railway next to Thatto Heath Park and it travelled close to the side of The Cobs that was also not there at the time of of it being in use. There is no evidence that the canal existed except historical reports.