Bridge 27 Over Shropshire Union Canal (Middlewich Branch) - Stanthorne, UK - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Canal
The Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal runs between Middlewich, where it joins the Trent and Mersey Canal, and Barbridge Junction, where it joins the main line of the Shropshire Union Canal.

It is 10 miles (16 km) long, and was planned as part of the Chester Canal, which was authorised in 1772, but the company ran out of money, and construction did not begin until 1827. The Trent and Mersey insisted that there should be no direct connection at Middlewich, and instead built the short Wardle Canal to join the two, charging large compensation tolls for traffic passing along it.

The canal became part of the Shropshire Union system in 1846, which was taken over by the London and North Western Railway within a year. Traffic on the branch was always limited by the compensation tolls, and it was not until 1888 that they were abolished. The canal was the location for trials with locomotive haulage of boats in 1888, using a narrow-gauge engine from Crewe railway works, but no further action was taken. The canal became part of the London Midland and Scottish Railway in 1923. The railway company closed 175 miles (282 km) of canals in 1944, but the Shropshire Union main line and the Middlewich Branch were spared, and passed into the jurisdiction of the British Waterways Board following nationalisation in 1948.

The canal follows a delightful rural route through farmland across Cheshire, with a short urban section near the junction at Middlewich. Many of the structures are original, and consequently, most of them are grade II listed. There is no commercial traffic on the waterway, but transition to the leisure age has resulted in two marinas being constructed to provide moorings for pleasure craft. link

The Bridge
The bridge was built as an accommodation bridge for a nearby farm. It is immediately next to Stanthorne Lock. Bridges are often built next to locks because the canal is at its narrowest at these points making the bridge cheaper and easier to build.

It is a Historic England Grade II Listed Building Building.
"STANTHORNE C.P. SHORPSHIRE UNION CANAL SJ 66 NE 5/87 Canal bridge c.3 yards downstream of Stanthorne Lock. - GV II Cattle bridge across canal. c.1793. Red English garden wall bond brick with stone dressings. Single span arch. Basket arch with brick voussoirs. Stone band above marking lower level of parapet. Chamfered stone coping to parapet. The retaining walls to either side are slightly canted forward and terminate in square piers with pyramidal stone caps. " link

What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Farm vehicles What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: The Middlewich Branch of the Shropshire Union Canal Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: Yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: Unnamed farm track Location: Stanthorpe, Cheshire East Length of bridge: Not listed Height of bridge: Not listed Date constructed: Not listed

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