Lancaster Kendal Canal, Crowpark Bridge over Lancaster/Kendal Canal

Crowpark Bridge over the Lancaster/Kendal Canal is a canal bridge built in 1818 by William Crosley Jr. It is constructed from squared, coursed limestone and features a limestone string and coping. The bridge has a single flattened elliptical arch made of rusticated voussoirs and a keystone, with shallow arched parapets. It is approximately 12 feet wide between the parapets, and the canal is currently dry.

The historical context of the canal indicates that it was completed south from Tewitfield between 1792 and 1797 under the supervision of engineer John Rennie, who provided specifications for the bridges, including battered and waisted abutments. In 1815, Thomas Fletcher oversaw the work progressing north from Tewitfield, reaching only as far as the Hincaster tunnel. William Crosley Jr. was appointed in June 1817 to supervise the works from Hincaster to Kendal, providing specifications similar to Rennie’s earlier designs, but without the distinctive double keystones found on Rennie’s bridges. The contract for the bridges was awarded in 1817.