Cruising the Shropshire Union Canal: Church Eaton, Gnosall & Market Drayton by Narrowboat

After finishing our last blog, we had a lovely surprise as Sonya and Tony aboard Brightside sailed past us. They also produce the vlog Same Ship Different Day, and it was great to finally meet them in person after following each other online.

In fact, we’ve been catching up with quite a few of our “social media” boating friends recently. We also met Phil Johnson from NB Rincewind (Locking Through Life), Gwen and Lee aboard Spooky (Facebook: Fibre and Tan), and Dee from Narrowboat Patricia May (Facebook: Dee Narrowboater). It’s one of the unexpected joys of this lifestyle—turning online friendships into real ones.

After leaving Wheaton Aston, we cruised on to Church Eaton, a delightful village with a wonderful community-run pub, The Royal Oak.

When the pub was threatened with closure, 34 local villagers came together in 2016 to buy it, ensuring it remained at the heart of the community. Today, it continues to thrive as a village hub, hosting fundraising events, social gatherings, and providing a welcoming place for locals and visitors alike.

In a time when so many traditional village pubs are disappearing, it’s heartwarming to see a community say, “No… this place matters.” ❤️🍺 Of course, we felt it was our duty to do our bit by supporting them!

While in the village, we also visited the beautiful St. Editha’s Church, parts of which date back to the 12th century. The church is full of history, and the magnificent stained-glass windows—including work by renowned Victorian artist C.E. Kempe—make it well worth a visit.

Our next stop was Gnosall (pronounced Nos-all—the “G” is silent). This attractive Staffordshire village has a long history dating back to Saxon times and grew around the historic canal and its coaching routes. Today it’s a friendly place with a good selection of local shops, cafés, and plenty of charm, making it an ideal stop along the Shropshire Union Canal.

From Gnosall, we made what felt like quite a long cruise for us, eventually reaching Shebdon Aqueduct. We found a lovely rural mooring surrounded by peaceful countryside… and absolutely nothing else! Sometimes those quiet, isolated spots are exactly what you need.

Our next destination was Market Drayton. We felt it had the potential to be a really lovely market town, although parts of it seemed a little tired and in need of some attention. One place that certainly didn’t disappoint was The Red Lion, the historic home of Joule’s Brewery.

The original Red Lion dates back to 1623, and when Joule’s Brewery was revived in 2010, the new brewery was built directly behind the pub. The site sits above the same mineral-rich aquifer that made the original Joule’s beers famous over 200 years ago.

One thing that really caught my eye was the brewery’s famous Red Cross trademark. Long before it became the internationally recognised humanitarian symbol, John Joule registered it as his brewery’s trademark in 1867, making it one of the oldest registered beer trademarks in the world.

Inside the pub is the incredible Mouse Room, featuring beautiful oak panelling crafted in the style of Robert “Mouseman” Thompson, complete with carved mice hidden throughout the woodwork. It even contains the only nodding mouse ever created by Mouseman—so keep your eyes peeled if you visit! 🐭

The wonderful “monk” paintings are another highlight. They aren’t actually monks at all, but portraits of the craftsmen who built the new brewery, painted by award-winning artist Andrew Tift. They’re depicted as monks as a tribute to the Augustinian monks who brewed beer in nearby Stone centuries ago. It’s a brilliant blend of history, craftsmanship, and a touch of humour.

We love discovering places like this, where every pint comes with a story.

As I write this, we’re moored near the bottom of the Adderley Locks, tucked away in another beautiful rural spot. Adderley village is very small with no shop or even a pub ! But it does have quite possibly the best book exchange I have ever seen !!

The Wi-Fi isn’t the best here, but perhaps that’s no bad thing. Sometimes it’s nice to disconnect from the internet and reconnect with nature instead.