Arch Bridge 151 On The Leeds Liverpool Canal – Salterforth, UK - Stone Bridges on Waymarking.com

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 a single elliptical span arch, designed by Robert Whitworth. and is a Grade II English Heritage listed building. It was built in 1794 when the canal was extended from Gargrave to Burnley and carries Salterforth Lane over the canal.

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. The canal is quite shallow along this stretch and so a vertical white line painted on the bridge parapet indicates the middle of the canal itself, the deepest part of the canal.

The bridge is on a bend in the canal and when horses were originally used to tow the canal boats, grooves were cut into the arch. To prevent this a wooden post was attached to the arch of the bridge to protect it.

Wooden posts on bridges are quite common on this stretch of canal but in this case the bend is quite wide and boats had trouble steering when towed around such a wide bend. In this case there is an additional post between the bridge and the apex of the bend which helped to keep the boat away from the canal bank.

A metal information board on the canal bank explains how this worked.

Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Salterforth, Lancashire Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Salterforth Lane Water or other terrain spanned: The Leeds Liverpool canal Architect/Builder: Robert Whitworth Construction Date: 1794

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