Whitehouse Tunnel, Chirk, Wrexham, Wales, UK
Posted by: 
Ddraig Ddu
N 52° 57.240 W 003° 03.825
30U E 495716 N 5867154
The Whitehouse tunnel is the shorter cousin of the canal tunnel to the south, it stretches 174 meters and allows two way traffic.
Waymark Code: WMHNWE
Location: North Wales, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 07/28/2013
Views: 6
"The shorter of two cut and cover construction tunnels designed by Thomas Telford, under the Principal engineer of the Ellesmere Canal Company William Jessop, on the Ellesmere Canal mainline near Chirk. Construction had begun on the aqueducts to north and south in 1795 and navigation through the tunnel commenced in 1802 when the section of canal from Chirk Basin to the south to Froncysyllte in the north commenced. The tunnel is one of the first on a British Canal to have towing-paths.
The tunnel tapers out to the South and North portals in the form of a parabolic arch of limestone voussoirs rising to a keystone, and set slightly proud of the high rubble-faced curved retaining wall. This wall rises to a flat string course at the base of the parapet. The original towpath was formed of timber framings with planking and gravel was reconstructed around 1821 with Stone Piers and Brick Arches carrying a gravelling roadway with Cast Iron hand Rail and Ballustres."
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