Burnley Embankment

Burnley Embankment
The embankment as viewed from the Finsley Gate bridge
Coordinates53°47′19″N 2°14′15″W / 53.78861°N 2.23750°W / 53.78861; -2.23750
OS grid referenceSD844324
CarriesLeeds and Liverpool Canal
CrossesCalder valley, Brun valley, Yorkshire Street
LocaleBurnley, Lancashire, England
Maintained byCanal & River Trust
Heritage statusGrade II listed (partial)
Characteristics
MaterialSoil (embankment)
Stone (Calder aqueduct)
Sandstone (retaining walls)
Total length1,256 yd (1,148 m)
Height60 ft (18 m)
Traversable?Yes
TowpathsW
History
DesignerRobert Whitworth
Construction start1796
Construction end1801
Location
Map

The Burnley Embankment is an embankment carrying the Leeds and Liverpool Canal across the Calder and Brun valleys[1] in Burnley, Lancashire.[2] Also known as the Straight Mile,[2] the embankment is 1,256 yards (0.714 mi; 1.148 km) long[3] and the canal runs up to 60 feet (18 m) above the valley floor.[4] The structure was chosen as one of the original Seven Wonders of the Waterways,[5] and has been awarded a Red Wheel by the Transport Trust.[6]

  1. ^ "The Culvert". www.bcthic.org. Burnley Civic Trust Heritage Image Collection. Retrieved 29 October 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Burnley Embankment". canalrivertrust.org.uk. Canal & River Trust. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  3. ^ Porter, John (1980). The making of the Central Pennines. Moorland Pub. Co. p. 138. ISBN 9780903485807.
  4. ^ Fisher, Stuart (2009). The Canals of Britain: A Comprehensive Guide. London: A&C Black. p. 237. ISBN 9781408105177.
  5. ^ "The seven wonders of the waterways | Canal & River Trust". canalrivertrust.org.uk. Canal & River Trust. Retrieved 28 October 2019.
  6. ^ Frost, Roger; Thompson, Ian; Dewhurst, Victoria (2014). River Calder. Stroud: Amberley Publishing. p. 64. ISBN 9781445619040.