Marple Locks Number 16 And Adjoining Footbridge On Peak Forest Canal

Marple Locks Number 16 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, with rebuilt retaining walls in brick. It features a single upper gate, a double lower gate, and a footbridge at the lower end. The design accommodates a 4-meter difference in height from the canal to the pound level due to the steep slope. The brick walls have stone verges, and the mouth of the lock is grooved for stop planks. The gates have been overhauled and are fully functional. The footbridge has a segmental arch with a rusticated keystone, an ashlar band, and an ashlar parapet that is finished with square piers. This structure is included for its group value.