The crux of the entire Midland canal system was the River Trent at Burton-upon-Trent, from which point the river was navigable for 117 miles downstream to its confluence with the Humber, over which distance the river drops a mere 118 feet. The Humber flows eastwards a further 16 miles to the busy seaport of Hull, from whence extensive trade with the northern seaports of Continental Europe was possible.
The Cannock Chase Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is encapsulated on all sides by canals, five in all, which effectively form what the authors have named the 'Cannock Chase Circular Navigation' (CCCN):
The most important of the five canals encircling the Cannock Chase is undoubtedly the Trent and Mersey Canal, also known as the "Grand Junction" or "Grand Union", which joined these two rivers from the north-east and north-west coasts of England. This canal follows along the valley of the River Trent from its junction with the river just north of Burton-on-Trent running originally south-westwards to Fradley Junction near Alrewas then westwards and northwards past Handsacre, Rugeley, Bishton and Colwich to Haywood Junction just west of Great Haywood, wherefrom the "Grand Junction" proceeds northwards up the Trent Valley past Weston and Sandon to the Potteries and beyond.
Haywood Junction was so named because from here, the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal branches off the Trent and Mersey and effectively connects these two rivers with the River Severn in the south-west; both of these canals were projected to be built in separate acts of parliament passed on the same day in 1766. From Haywood Junction the Staffordshire and Worcestershire follows the River Sow westward only as far as Baswich, passing within two miles of Stafford before abruptly turning southwards to follow the valley of the River Penk past Acton Trussell and Penkridge to Autherley Junction north of Wolverhampton, thereafter passing Wolverhampton City centre well to the west on its way southward to Worcestershire and its junction with the River Severn at Stourport.
To the south-east and south-west of the Cannock Chase upland plateau are two canals both approved by Parliamentary Acts passed in 1768. In the east the Coventry and Fazeley Canal branched off from the Trent and Mersey Canal at Fradley Junction west of Alrewas and ran south-east via Huddlesford Junction east of Lichfield to Fazeley just south of Tamworth before continuing on its journey to Coventry and thereafter via the Oxford Canal to the River Thames. The completion of the short section between Fradley and Huddleston in 1790 meant that the canal system now extended to the major rivers in the four corners of England, the Humber in the north-east, the Mersey in the north-west, the Severn in the south-west and the Thames in the south-east, and the two main junctions in this system were both located in the immediate area of the Cannock Chase.
In the west the Birmingham Canal branched off from the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at a point about a mile south of Autherley Junction between Oxley and Pendeford in the northern suburbs of Wolverhampton and ran south-east, rising by 132 feet through a system of 21 locks to the Horseley Fields Junction just east of Wolverhampton City Centre, after which it continued its south-easterly course onwards through Bilston and Tipton to Birmingham. This canal was to link the City of Birmingham with the ironworks and collieries of south Staffordshire and was to initiate the city's rise to become the second most important population centre in England.
The final major component of the canal systerm encircling the Chase, the Wyrley and Essington Canal, was approved by Parliament in 1792 to connect the C&FC at Huddlesford Junction with the BC at the Horseley Fields Junction. Now mostly disused and drained, the Wyrley and Essington Canal ran generally south-westwards by a very meandering and circuitous route between Lichfield and Wolverhampton, passing a number of settlements to the south of Cannock Chase, including (from east to west), Wall, Hammerwich, Brownhills, Pelsall, Bloxwich, Essington and Wednesfield.
Two other canals are worthy of note, the first being the Birmingham and Liverpool Junction Canal also known as the "Shropshire Union Canal", which branched off the Staffordshire and Worcestershire Canal at Autherley Junction and ran north-westwards past Brewood, effectively connecting the rivers Trent, Mersey and Severn and providing navigable access to Shropshire, Cheshire and the trans-Atlantic port of Liverpool. From Autherley Junction the journey to Birmingham was expedited via a short southward stretch of less than one mile along the S&WC wherefrom the connection with the City of Birmingham was continued via the Birmingham Canal.
The second noteworthy canal is the Cannock Extension Canal which branched off the Wyrley and Essington Canal at Pelsall Junction north-west of Pelsall and ran north through Norton Canes, thence north-west to the Rumour Hill Junction just south of Cannock later being extended north towards Hednesford; now mostly obliterated the southern remnant of this canal was designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) in 2000.
Aside from the seven fairly major canals listed above there were a number of smaller branch canals which do not merit their own separate pages and are instead discussed here. Many of these are connected with the Wyrley and Essington Canal, listed from east to west, they are:
The only branch canals of note which do not connect directly with the Wyrley and Essington Canal are the Churchbridge Branch Canal which ran south-westwards from the Rumer Hill Junction of the CEC, and the Hatherton Branch Canal which branched off the S&WC at the Calf Heath Junction about 1½ miles north-east of Coven and ran east, passing to the south of the Watling Street to meet up with the Churchbridge Branch just to the north of Cheslyn Hay and Great Wyrley; the former branch canal no longer exists but the latter branch, although no longer navigable, still survives in part to the south of the Roman road.