2015

SJ9353 : Kidd's Bridge east of Endon in Staffordshire

taken 9 years ago, near to Endon, Staffordshire, England

Kidd's Bridge east of Endon in Staffordshire
Kidd's Bridge east of Endon in Staffordshire
Kidd's Bridge is No 29 across the Caldon Canal. It is an accommodation bridge with no public right of way on it or into adjacent fields.

It is one of my favourite bridges on the canal system. ;-)
Accommodation Bridges

When the canals (or railways) were built in the 18th and 19th centuries, they were often routed in such a way that farmers and other landowners had their land bisected, so bridges had to be provided to allow access to fields on both sides of the canal. These bridges are frequently referred to as accommodation bridges, and however solid and well constructed, often don't lead anywhere except from one field to another.

The Caldon Canal

The Caldon Branch of the Trent and Mersey Canal was completed in December 1778, and opened in 1779, specifically as a transport facility for the limestone quarries at Cauldon, near Froghall. In 1797 a secondary branch was built from the original Hazelhurst Locks to Leek. By 1811 a further extension from Froghall led to Uttoxeter, a further 13 miles, but only lasted until 1845. By 1849 a railway had been built, some of the track using the former canal bed. This was also the fate of part of the original canal near Endon.
A major rebuild and rerouting process near Endon resulted in the raising of the level, and three locks being replaced by the three chamber staircase at Hazelhurst Wood near Denford by 1800. A further major rebuild near Hazelhurst was completed by 1841. This included abandoning the troublesome staircase, and creating three single new locks on another new cut, which led to a reusing of part of the original 1778 route, which then passed under a new aqueduct to accommodate the Leek Branch. Thus Hazelhurst Junction was relocated. That is an awful lot of expensive rethinking within the short time frame of just 63 years!

Due mainly to railways taking most of the trade, the canal became little used and almost unnavigable by the early 1960s.

The canal was reopened in 1974 following enormous amounts of work instigated by the Caldon Canal Society, its volunteers, and the British Waterways Board. The current seventeen miles from Etruria to Froghall are a particularly attractive canal for cruising, despite the seventeen locks ... well that isn't too many, is it? ;-)

LinkExternal link LinkExternal link


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Roger D Kidd and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Canals other tags: Canal Bridge Accommodation Bridge Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
SJ9353, 121 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Roger D Kidd   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Friday, 31 July, 2015   (more nearby)
Submitted
Wednesday, 1 November, 2017
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9324 5305 [10m precision]
WGS84: 53:4.4782N 2:6.1412W
Camera Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SJ 9323 5302
View Direction
North-northeast (about 22 degrees)
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image Type (about): geograph 
This page has been viewed about 25 times
You are not logged in login | register