Bridge 6 Over The Rochdale Canal - Luddenden Foot, UK - Stone Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Canal History
The Rochdale Canal was completed in 1804 and is one of three canals that cross the Pennine hills. This is the only one that doesn’t use tunnels. In addition it was a broad canal with bridges and locks that allowed boats of 14 feet width to pass through.

The one downside of not using tunnels is that it originally had 92 locks. These days two of them have been combined into one deep lock in front of this tunnel.

Competition from railways and roads subsequently led to a decline in goods being carried and by 1937 the only section left in operation was at the Manchester end of the canal.

In 1965 there was talk of abandoning the canal but by this time leisure boating had become very popular in the UK and there was a campaign to keep it open. Work was started and the canal slowly re-opened in a number of different stages.

Details of the bridge
This is bridge number 6 on The Rochdale Canal and was built in 1798 by Jessop and Crossley engineers. This is at the time that the part of the canal between Sowerby Bridge and Rochdale was opened, earlier than some other parts of the canal.

The bridge is a Historic England Grade II Listed Building.
"SOWERBY BRIDGE ROCHDALE CANAL, SE 0225-0325 Luddenden Foot 6/181 Canal Bridge - - II Road bridge over canal. c1798 for the Rochdale Canal Company, widened c1882 probably for the Luddenden Foot Local Board of Health. Coursed squared stone and ashlar. Single segmental arch spanning canal.

The central core of c1800 is carried on the canal walls which curve inwards with large kerbstones. The outer arches which flank it to north and south are slightly taller, the southern one having an iron arch, the northern one ashlar voussoirs. On both the stone is rock-faced and there is a moulded ashlar band below ashlar parapet which has a plinth on the carriageway side and triangular section coping.

Flanking the arch on each face are battered buttresses with bands (dentilled on south side), rising into ashlar piers with pyramidal capstones. The later work is in the same style as the bridge over the River Calder (6/242)Which was erected by the Local Board of Health in 1882." link

Physical Location (city, county, etc.): Luddenden Foot, West Yorkshire Road, Highway, Street, etc.: Brearley Road Water or other terrain spanned: The Rochdale Canal Architect/Builder: Not listed Construction Date: Not listed

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