Bridge 7 On Rochdale Canal – Luddenden Foot, UK - Stone Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Canal History
The Rochdale Canal was completed in 1804 and is one of three canals that cross the Pennine hills. This is the only one that doesn’t use tunnels. In addition it was a broad canal with bridges and locks that allowed boats of 14 feet width to pass through.

The one downside of not using tunnels is that it originally had 92 locks. These days two of them have been combined into one deep lock in front of this tunnel.

Competition from railways and roads subsequently led to a decline in goods being carried and by 1937 the only section left in operation was at the Manchester end of the canal.

In 1965 there was talk of abandoning the canal but by this time leisure boating had become very popular in the UK and there was a campaign to keep it open. Work was started and the canal slowly re-opened in a number of different stages.

Details of the bridge
This is bridge number 7 on The Rochdale Canal and was built in 1798 by Jessop and Crossley engineers. This is at the time that the part of the canal between Sowerby Bridge and Rochdal was opened, earlier than some other parts of the canal.

It is an accommodation bridge to allow the residents of a nearby farm get across the canal to their fields.

Because this is a private farm bridge, there is no access onto the bridge from the canal tow path.

Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Luddenden Foot Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Access road for farmland Water or other terrain spanned: The Rochdale Canal Architect/Builder: Jessop and Crossley engineers Construction Date: 1798

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Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log User Rating   03/10/2013 His 'n' Hers visited it 11/01/2012 hulletteers visited it

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