Trent And Mersey Canal Newcastle Road Bridge And Lock

This canal bridge, lock, and towpath tunnel were constructed between 1771 and 1772 as part of the Trent and Mersey Canal, designed by engineer James Brindley. The structure is primarily brick with ashlar stone dressings. The bridge features an elliptical arch and a round-arched tunnel to the west, intended for horses. The ashlar tunnel arch on the north side has an oblique timber roller bar with iron strips on the left side, used to manage the rope. Stone-coped parapets are present, with the northern parapet having been rebuilt. A 19th-century widening occurs to the south side. The lock is narrow and includes a footbridge to the lower end, with double lower gates and a single upper gate, all of timber construction. This represents a good and largely unaltered example of a rare type, found amongst a series of features along the Trent and Mersey Canal in Stone. The canal played a significant role in the industrial development of the area.