Bridge Number 57 (Ellesmere Tunnel)

Bridge Number 57, also known as the Ellesmere Tunnel, is a canal tunnel built between 1797 and 1801, with some minor later alterations. It is part of William Jessop's and Thomas Telford's Ellesmere Canal. The bridge is constructed of red brick and features a stone-coped parapet, which was heightened on the west side in the late 20th century. The structure has square corner piers topped with shallow pyramidal caps and an elliptical arch made of rusticated stone voussoirs, along with a projecting keystone on the west side and a flat string course. The bridge is approximately 90 meters long and includes a cast-iron handrail along the towpath. The section of the Ellesmere Canal that includes this bridge was completed around 1801. The Ellesmere Canal Company merged with the Chester Canal Company in 1813 and became part of the Shropshire Union Canal in 1846.