Embanked Aqueduct over Ochram Brook

This is an embanked aqueduct, constructed in the early 19th century as part of the Brecknock and Abergavenny Canal. The canal, promoted in 1792 to connect the upper Usk valley to the Monmouthshire Canal, was built in stages between 1797 and 1812, with this section completed in 1812 under the direction of William Crosley. The canal follows the contours of the landscape closely, resulting in the use of embanked aqueducts to navigate sharp bends rather than locks. This particular aqueduct carries the canal over Ochram Brook, which serves as a feeder to the canal, with half of its water diverted into the canal while the remainder passes underneath.

The aqueduct has a masonry revetment on its downhill side, forming an embankment that carries the canal around a corner and over the stream. The stream flows through a long, approximately 20-meter tunnel underneath the aqueduct, passing under a low, semicircular arch constructed of voussoirs. The western side has a similar arched detail, and remains of an overflow weir are also visible. Ramped revetments with end pilaster buttresses are present. The aqueduct is listed as a scarce and well-preserved engineering feature of this early 19th-century canal, reflecting its historical significance as an important artery for trade in iron, lime, and coal.