| Lune Aqueduct | |
|---|---|
| Carries | Lancaster Canal |
| Crosses | River Lune |
| Location | Lancaster |
| OS grid reference | |
| Maintained by | British Waterways |
| Designer | John Rennie |
| Trough construction | Concrete |
| Pier construction | Brick |
| Number of spans | Five |
| Total length | 664 ft.(202.4 m) |
| Width | 20 ft.(6.0 m) |
| Height | 61 ft.(18.6m) |
| Boats can pass? | Yes |
| Towpath(s) | Both |
| Begin date | January 1794 |
| Opening date | Autumn 1797 |
| Heritage status | Grade 1 |
The Lune Aqueduct is a navigable aqueduct that carries the Lancaster Canal over the River Lune, on the east side of the city of Lancaster in Lancashire, England. It is was completed in 1797 at a total cost of £48,320.18s.10d.[1] It is a Grade I listed building.[2]
Contents |
The aqueduct is a traditional structure of that time, consisting of five brick arches supporting the stone trough. Within the piers, special volcanic pozzolana powder was imported to be mixed with cement, which allowed the concrete to set under water.[3] Because of the rush to finish the initial stages, before the winter floods, the construction was carried out around the clock and the final bill for the project was over £30,000 over budget (2.6 times the original estimate). This vast overspend was the reason that the Lancaster canal was never joined to the main canal network – there wasn’t enough money for the planned aqueduct over the River Ribble at the southern end of the canal.
British Waterways plans to spend £3m on re-lining and repairing the Grade I listed structure.[4] This upgrade will also make the structure more accessible for visitors, including new signs, notice boards and car parking.
The structure bears two inscriptions:[5]