3. c. xlviii), for the purpose of improving navigation of the River Tees between the towns of Stockton-on-Tees[1] and Middlesbrough.

From there it meandered north and then back south, joining the current channel at a point about 1350 yds (1.2 km) from the Mandale in a roughly west-northwest direction.

These two meanders, along with the tidal nature of the river and the presence of shifting sandbars, made navigation difficult.

In particular, property owned by Lord Harewood lay on the southern meander and would lose all access to the river after the cut was made.

Large amounts of slag from the processing of iron ore were dumped along the channel in order to narrow and straighten it, causing the river to flow faster and thus scour its own bed.