Murtry Aqueduct

Murtry Aqueduct
The north face of Murtry Aqueduct
Carries	Dorset and Somerset Canal
Crosses	Mells River
Location	Great Elm
Maintained by	Dorset & Somerset Canal Society
Pier construction	Doulting Stone[1]
Number of spans	3
Piers in water	2
Longest span	20 feet (6.1 m)[1]
Total length	70 feet (21.3 m)[1]
Water depth	5.6 feet (1.7 m)[1]
Completion date	c.1795[1]
Heritage status	Grade II[1]
Coordinates	51°14′49″N 2°20′31″W / 51.247°N -2.342°E / 51.247; -2.342Coordinates: 51°14′49″N 2°20′31″W / 51.247°N -2.342°E / 51.247; -2.342

Murtry Aqueduct is a three-arched aqueduct that was intended to carry the Dorset and Somerset Canal over the Mells River, near Frome in Somerset, England. It is a grade II listed building.^[1]

Construction

The aqueduct was built as part of an 8-mile branch of the canal between Frome and Nettlebridge. This branch was never completed and work on the rest of the canal was never started, so Murtry Aqueduct was never filled with water.^[2] The aqueduct has some decorative architectural features, including rusticated spandrels and plain pilasters between the arches.^[1]

At the east end there is a skew arch, smaller than the three main arches, running underneath the canal bed.^[3][4] This skew arch is part of the aqueduct's south face, but it is separated from the aqueduct on the north side.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} "Murtry Aqueduct". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/Details/Default.aspx?id=267107. Retrieved 2010-10-19. 
2. ^ "Details of the Murtry Aqueduct Restoration Jan 2003". http://rtjhomepages.users.btopenworld.com/hanson.html. Retrieved 2010-10-20. 
3. ^ Hardcastle, Peter (1994–2006). "Dorset and Somerset Canal". http://www.radstock4u.com/kennet_and_avon/radstock4u_Somerset_Dorset.htm#route. Retrieved 15 December 2010. 
4. ^ Goode, Dominic (8 July 2010). "Canal Mania: Murtry Skew Arch". http://www.canalmania.co.uk/v/dom/dorset_and_somerset_canal/103_murtry_skew_arch.gif.html. Retrieved 15 December 2010. 

See also

• Dorset and Somerset Canal
• List of canal aqueducts in Great Britain

UK Waterways portal