Natland Mill Beck bridge over Lancaster/Kendal Canal

This is a canal bridge built in 1818 by William Crosley Jr. as part of the Lancaster/Kendal Canal. It is constructed from carefully squared rubble stone with a sloping base and square end features. The bridge has flat copings to its parapets. The single elliptical arch, spanning approximately 20 feet, features projecting keystones. The roadway is about 12 feet wide. Later steps provide access to the towpath from a gap in the wall on the south side of the bridge at its western end. A benchmark is located on the north side of the bridge’s base. The canal was originally built between 1792 and 1797 under the direction of engineer John Rennie, who established specifications for bridges, including battered and waisted abutments. Later, Thomas Fletcher oversaw construction north of Tewitfield, but William Crosley Jr. was appointed in June 1817 to supervise the work from Hincaster to Kendal, using specifications similar to Rennie’s, but without the distinctive ‘double keystones’ characteristic of Rennie’s bridges. The contract for the bridge was awarded in 1817.