Marple Locks Number 8 And Adjoining Footbridge On Peak Forest Canal

Marple Locks Number 8 and the adjoining footbridge are located on the Peak Forest Canal and were constructed between 1803 and 1805. The engineers for this project were Benjamin Outram and Thomas Brown, financed by S. Oldknow and R. Arkwright, and built by James and Fox. The structure is made of dressed stone and ashlar. It features a single upper gate, a double lower gate, and a footbridge at the lower end. The lock has a 4-meter pound-to-pound level to accommodate the steepness of the slope. The lock walls are built with large coursed stone blocks and have a rounded verge. The mouth of the lock is grooved for stop planks, and the gates have been overhauled and are fully functional. The footbridge has a segmental shaped 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 sweeps down to the level of the pound.