Readers who suffer from vertigo should perhaps look away now. The world’s highest canal aqueduct measures just 12 feet across – including the towpath – and carries narrowboats and pedestrians a full 126 feet above the River Dee in north-east Wales.
What is the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct?
It was originally designed to carry the Llangollen Canal across the River Dee by building a conventional series of locks that would bring the canal down into the Vale of Llangollen then back up the other side, crossing the Dee via an embankment.
However, the civil engineering team of Thomas Telford and William Jessop proposed something far more ambitious: a cast iron trough borne across the vale for 336 yards supported by 18 stone arches.
A decade in the making, Britain it was opened in 1805. It had cost nearly £50,000 – close to £5m in today’s money – but Telford and Jessop’s confidence would prove well founded.
Oddly, given the time-consuming and expensive nature of this piece of infrastructure, the waterway it was intended to serve was never finished. The Ellesmere Canal would have linked the River Severn with Liverpool, but financial difficulties meant that long stretches were never dug. In fact, the aqueduct was the last section of any great moment to be completed.
How high is Pontcysyllte Aqueduct?
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct stands at an impressive height of 126 feet (38.4 meters) above the River Dee.
How long is Pontcysyllte Aqueduct?
The aqueduct spans a length of 1,007 feet (307 meters), making it the longest aqueduct in Great Britain.
When was Pontcysyllte Aqueduct built?
Construction of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct began in 1795 and was completed in 1805. It took ten years to design and build this engineering masterpiece.
Where is Pontcysyllte Aqueduct?
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is near the village of Cefn Mawr, not far from Llangollen in the Vale of Llangollen in northeast Wales.
When was the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct granted UNESCO World Heritage status?
Granted in 2009, this World Heritage Site includes not just the aqueduct, but also the canal and associated engineering features, covering 11 miles (18 km) of scenic canal route.
- Find out our pick of the best ten UNESCO World Heritage Sites around the UK.
Visiting the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct
Today the Pontycysyllte Aqueduct is the highlight of the Llangollen Canal. You’ll often see a queue of boats waiting to cross, since it’s only wide enough for a single vessel. Still, it does at least give those waiting the time to appreciate one of the great engineering marvels of the Industrial Revolution.
