Marple Locks Number 3 And Adjoining Footbridge On Peak Forest Canal

Marple Locks Number 3 and the adjoining footbridge, built between 1803 and 1805, were designed by engineers Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown, financed by S. Oldknow and R. Arkwright, and constructed by James and Fox. The lock features dressed stone and ashlar, with a single upper gate and a double lower gate, along with a footbridge at the lower end. It has a 4-meter pound-to-pound level to manage the steep slope. The lock walls are made of large coursed stone blocks with a rounded verge, and the mouth is grooved for stop planks. The gates have been overhauled and are fully functional. The footbridge includes a segmental rusticated keystone arch, an ashlar band, and parapet walls with rounded copings. One end of the footbridge is terminated by a battered square pier with a small flight of steps, while the other end slopes down to the level of the pound.