Early history of Runcorn Docks and rivalry with Chester
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 The old quay docks at Runcorn |
Runcorn, to the south east of Liverpool, has been involved with coastal and inland boats since medieval times because of its position on the River Mersey. Its trade was hit in 1481 when Chester, the main port in the area at the time, got the monopoly on Cheshire’s trade with Ireland (this meant that no other Cheshire port could deal with Irish trade). The county officials had orders to arrest all vessels trying to land cargoes from Ireland at Runcorn.
The building of the The Sankey Brook Navigation in 1757 and the completion of the The Bridgewater Canal (in 1776) and the Trent & Mersey Canal led to the revival of Runcorn as a port. By 1785 the Bridgewater Canal Company had built a tidal basin, a coal basin, a dock, a warehouse and a small dry dock at Runcorn. A further dock was built in 1791 for sailing ships to carry cargoes from Duke’s Dock in Liverpool.
This led to Runcorn gradually overtaking Chester as the main port for the county of Cheshire.
Runcorn Dock gets its own identity
Better surveys (measurements) of the River Mersey also meant that navigation was easier and larger ships could dock at Runcorn instead of having to transfer goods to smaller vessels at Liverpool to be taken down the river to Runcorn. From about 1800 Runcorn became a creek-port within the customs port of Liverpool and the new canals entering the Mersey at Runcorn led to an expansion in goods. This also led to an increase in ship and boat building and repairs at Runcorn and other places nearby such as Frodsham and Northwich.
The Mersey and Irwell Navigation was extended to Runcorn in 1804 and it had its own dock facilities at the Old Quay Basin. | 
