Stone Bridge 13 On The Peak Forest Canal – Bredbury, UK - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Peak Forest Canal
It is a narrow canal constructed between 1794 and 1805 and is fourteen miles long. It connects Buxworth with Dukinfield where it joins the Ashton Canal. The main purpose of the canal was to transport limestone from quarries above Buxworth. There are sixteen locks near the town of Marple that raise the canal a height of 210 feet in a distance of 1 mile.

The advent of the railways and later modern roads led to the decline of the canal and it fell into disuse between 1920 and 1960. An upsurge in leisure boat use led to the canal being restored and reopened in 1974.

The Bridge
The bridge is known as Gilbertbank Bridge and carries Gilberbank Road over the canal.

The bridge is on a slight bend in the canal and in the days when boats were towed by horses, the tow ropes wore grooves in the bridge supports. In order to protect the stone work metal bars were attached to each side of the bridge. The metal bars are no longer attached but the metal fixing points are still there reminding us of the early history of the canal.

The bridge was made an English Heritage Grade II Listed Building in 1985 and the listing tells us that the bridge has a Semi-elliptical keystone arch with segmental retaining and parapet walls which are terminated in square piers. link

What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Motor vehicles, bikes and pedestrians What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: The Peak Forest Canal Date constructed: between 1794 and 1801 Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: Yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: Gilbertbank Road Location: Bredbury, Tameside Length of bridge: Not listed Height of bridge: Not listed

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