Ditchfield Bridge - 1926 - Lymm, UK
Posted by: dtrebilc
N 53° 22.785 W 002° 29.889
30U E 533382 N 5914633
This bridge carries the A56 road over the Bridgewater Canal and in 1926 was erected to replace an earlier canal bridge.
Waymark Code: WMNX8Z
Location: North West England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 05/17/2015
Views: 2
"The Bridgewater Canal connects Runcorn, Manchester and Leigh, in North West England. It was commissioned by Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, to transport coal from his mines in Worsley to Manchester. It was opened in 1761 from Worsley to Manchester, and later extended from Manchester to Runcorn, and then from Worsley to Leigh.
Often considered to be the first "true" canal in England, as it relied upon existing watercourses as sources of water rather than as navigable routes. Navigable throughout its history, it is one of the few canals in Britain not to have been nationalised, and remains privately owned. Pleasure craft now use the canal which forms part of the Cheshire Ring network of canals.
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The canal between Worsley and Manchester opened in 1761. The rest of the canal was completed between 1767 and 1776.
At the time the canal was built all the bridges over the canal were brick built arch bridges constructed to a standard template.
As time has moved on many of the original bridges, including this one have been reconstructed due to changes in traffic conditions.
The A56 is a road in England which extends between the city of Chester in Cheshire and the village of Broughton in North Yorkshire.
A metal plaque on the bridge parapet tells us that it was constructed by the aptly name County Bridgemaster.
COUNTY OF CHESTER
DITCHFIELD BRIDGE
Reconstructed and Widened
1926
W. Holland
COUNTY BRIDGEMASTER