Bridge 208 on Leeds Liverpool Canal – Shipley, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 50.175 W 001° 46.144
30U E 581001 N 5966005
This bridge was built in 1774 at the Junction of the Leeds Liverpool canal and the Bradford canal.
Waymark Code: WMBPH5
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 06/10/2011
Views: 3
The bridge only crosses the Leeds Liverpool canal, but was built to allow horses to cross from one canal towpath to the other.
Depending on the direction of travel it would be necessary to untie the horse from the canal boat before making the crossing.
This bridge is at Shipley and the distance to Bradford was only 3.5 miles, but gave Bradford access to the much longer Leeds Liverpool canal.
The large derelict building across the bridge was the toll office and bargemen's dormitory, known as the Barracks.
There was always a problem with supplying enough water in the Bradford canal. The water became heavily polluted causing health problems such as a Cholera outbreak.
The pollution and lack of traffic due to the water supply problems caused it to be closed in 1922 and filled in, so now the bridge is largely redundant.
Although redundant it is not unloved and on 25th January 1978 became a GRADE II listed building. The ENGLISH HERITAGE BUILDING ID IS337500
Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Shipley, West Yorkshire
Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Canal Towpath
Water or other terrain spanned: Leeds Liverpool Canal
Construction Date: 1774
Architect/Builder: Not listed
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