Bridge 3A On The Ashton Canal – Ancoats, UK - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Ashton Canal
The Ashton Canal runs between Manchester and Ashton under Lyne, UK. It ascends for 6.7 miles and has 18 locks. It was originally built in 1796 to transport coal to the large industrial city of Manchester. As time went on a number of other short canals were built as branches to feed other goods from surrounding towns into the network. In 1800 the canal was extended slightly within Manchester to join the Rochdale Canal which greatly extended the network of the canals connected to Manchester. At its peak it was a successful canal, but competition from railways and then roads caused its closure in 1958.

During the 1960s and 1970s canals started to become popular with leisure boaters. After a long campaign this canal was restored and reopened in 1974. Most of the other small canal links however remain closed, but with junctions at each end it still forms part of a large network of canals

The bridge
After the canal opened a number of industrial sites were built to take advantage of the canal and a small 945 metre long private branch was built around 1800 off the Ashton Canal called the Islington Branch.

This brick built arch bridge was built to carry the tow path of the Ashton Canal over the Islington branch. The Islington branch is just to the east of lock number 2 on the canal and there is also a lock keeper’s cottage next to the lock. Because of this the bridge is set back slightly from the end of the branch and the towpath has to bend around the cottage.

In 1994 the bridge, lock keeper’s cottage and lock were listed as a group as an English Heritage Grade II listed building. The listing says that it is “Red brick in English garden wall bond, with sandstone dressings. Elliptical arch with keystone, stone band, parapet with rounded stone coping (curved outwards at the ends, dying into the ground); cobbled deck.”

All the bridges on the Ashton Canal have retained the numbers from the time the canal was first built. Because this was added at a later date it is known as bridge 3A.

What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Pedestrians cycles What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: Small branch of the Ashton Canal Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: Yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: Ashton Canal Towpath Location: Clayton, Greater Manchester Length of bridge: Not listed Height of bridge: Not listed Date constructed: Not listed

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Date Logged Log User Rating   04/11/2023 OrientGeo visited it