OS grid reference SD675264 Maintained by British Waterways Towpaths NW Side Width 13 m Locale Blackburn | Crosses River Darwen & B6447 Traversable? Yes Total length 21 m Body of water River Darwen Carry Leeds and Liverpool Canal | |
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Carries Leeds and Liverpool Canal Similar Lewis Textile Museum, St Barnabas' Church, Leeds and Liverpool Canal, Imperial Mill - Blackburn, St Mark's Church - Blackburn | ||
Ewood Aqueduct is a high embankment carrying the Leeds and Liverpool Canal over the River Darwen and the B6447 road near Blackburn, Lancashire, England. Built of sandstone in the early 19th century, it is a Grade II listed building.
History
In 1789 Robert Whitworth varied the route of the unfinished part of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal, by building a new tunnel at Foulridge which lowered the summit level by 40 feet. He chose a more southerly route in Lancashire. This resulted in an Act of Parliament in 1790 which allowed further fund-raising for the completion. In 1794 another Act was granted authorising another change of route and yet more fund-raising. The new Foulridge Tunnel was proving difficult and expensive to dig, when it opened in 1796 it was 1,640 yards (1,500 m) long. This new route took the canal south via Burnley and Blackburn which was reached in 1810. This new route for this section of the canal meant it was now running parallel with and then crossing the isolated southern end of the Lancaster Canal. Common sense prevailed and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal connected with the Lancaster Canal between Wigan and Johnson's Hillock. The main line of the canal was thus completed in 1816.