Incline Plane, Bridge And Wheel Pit To East Of Plane Cottage

The incline plane, bridge, and wheel pit located to the east of Plane Cottage in Werrington were built around 1820. This structure was designed as an alternative to a lock for the Bude Canal, which opened in 1823. The incline plane is made of stone rubble, with its surface now partly covered in grass. It features a stone rubble bridge that spans the road below and a wheel pit at the upper end, also constructed of stone rubble.

The tub boats used on the canal were equipped with iron wheels. Upon reaching the incline plane, these boats were floated out of the water and placed onto one of two sets of rails that allowed them to ascend and descend simultaneously. A narrow stepped path runs alongside the plane for the use of horses and pedestrians.

At the lower end, the integral bridge carries the incline plane over the road, which runs parallel to the canal for much of its route through Werrington parish. The bridge has a dressed stone segmental arch and stone rubble parapets. The incline plane operated using a continuous chain over a winding drum, with the boats attached to the chain by a smaller 10 link chain. Although the water wheel that once stood in the wheel pit at the top of the plane has been removed, the entrance to the pit remains unchanged.