Stone Bridge 170 On Leeds Liverpool Canal – Gargrave, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 59.139 W 002° 06.386
30U E 558592 N 5982295
This stone arch bridge number 170 was built about 1790 by the canal engineer, Robert Whitworth and carries West Street over Higherland Lock.
Waymark Code: WMMC8F
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 08/30/2014
Views: 1
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 segmental arch. It dates from around 1773 and it and the lock are 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. A vertical white line painted on the bridge parapet indicates the middles of the canal itself to further aid navigation. Usually because the bridge straddles the tow path on one side of the canal the bridge keystone is not in the middle of the canal and the vertical line is offset. However because this bridge is built into the lock walls the middle of the bridge is also the middle of the canal.
Bridges are often built into locks because they are the narrowest part of the canal and so the bridge is cheaper and easier to build.
On the far side of the bridge the parapet extends alongside the canal forming a protecting set of steps down to the canal where boat operators can return to their boats as they exit the lock.