Bridge 71 Over Leeds Liverpool Canal – Heath Charnock, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 37.345 W 002° 36.754
30U E 525625 N 5941581
The Leeds Liverpool canal is the longest canal in Northern England.
Waymark Code: WMHXNE
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/24/2013
Views: 5
The canal is 127.25 miles long and flows from the inland woollen town of Leeds to the coastal sea port of Liverpool, crossing the Pennines along the way. Work on the canal started in 1770 and built in a number of sections and was finally completed in 1816.
This bridge is a stone bridge with an elliptical arch and triple keystone. It dates from around 1790 and is a Grade II English Heritage
listed building.
Like many of the bridges on this canal the arch stones are painted white to help boat owners judge their approach through the bridge. In addition because the bridge straddles the tow path on one side of the canal the bridge keystone is not in the middle of the canal. A vertical white line painted on the bridge parapet indicates the middles of the canal itself to further aid navigation.
At the time the bridge was built canal boats were towed by horses and as the bridge is on a bend in the canal the edges of the bridge have grooves cut into the stone work from the ropes rubbing against the stonework although they were partly repaired at some point.
One side of the bridge carries a pipe attached to the parapet above the arch.