Pontcysyllte Aqueduct facts for kids
The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct (which is Traphont Ddŵr Pontcysyllte in Welsh) is a famous canal bridge in north east Wales. It took 10 years to plan and build, finishing in 1805. This amazing structure is the longest aqueduct in Great Britain. It is also the highest canal aqueduct anywhere in the world. It has 18 arches made of stone and cast iron. It was built for narrowboats to cross high above the ground.
The aqueduct was meant to be part of a much bigger plan. It was part of the proposed Ellesmere Canal. This canal would have been a busy waterway for industry. It was planned to connect the River Severn at Shrewsbury to the port of Liverpool on the River Mersey.
Engineers chose a route that went high up across the Vale of Llangollen. This path was more expensive than another option. However, it would have taken the canal through an area rich in minerals. This included the coalfields of North-East Wales. But the full canal was never finished because the money ran out. Most of the work on the canal stopped after the aqueduct was completed in 1805.
Today, the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical structure. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
What's in a Name?
The name Pontcysyllte comes from the Welsh language. It means "Cysyllte Bridge" or "Bridge of Cysyllte". Cysyllte is the name of a local area. This area is part of the old parish of Llangollen. The southern end of the aqueduct is located there.
A World Heritage Site
In 1999, the aqueduct and the land around it were suggested for a special award. They were put on a "tentative list" for UNESCO World Heritage Site status. This means they were being considered for this important title.
The aqueduct was suggested as a strong contender in 2005. This was its 200th birthday year! Then, in 2006, it was announced that a larger area would be nominated. This area included a section of the canal from the aqueduct all the way to Horseshoe Falls. This was the United Kingdom's nomination for 2008.
Inspectors from UNESCO visited the site in October 2008. They looked at parts of the site, including the canal from Rhoswiel, Shropshire, to the Horseshoe Falls. They also visited the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Chirk Aqueduct. Their visit was to check how the site was managed and to confirm its historical truth. Finally, on June 27, 2009, UNESCO officially named the aqueduct a World Heritage Site.
Gallery
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A canal boat crossing the aqueduct. The iron plates look like traditional stone voussoirs.
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A view of the Dee Valley from the aqueduct.
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Looking up at the aqueduct from the river and valley below.
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The canal being drained for inspection and maintenance in 2009.
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in winter.
- Memories of Pontcysyllte by Amy Douglas and Fiona Collins (2006)
- Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal Nomination as a World Heritage Site: Nomination Document (Wrexham County Borough Council and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales, 2008)
Images for kids
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The aqueduct viewed from the valley below.
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A plaque celebrating the building of the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct. It was built between 1795 and 1805 by Thomas Telford.
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Thomas Telford designed and built the Pontcysyllte aqueduct. He used what he learned from building the Longdon-on-Tern Aqueduct on the Shrewsbury Canal.
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The aqueduct seen with the Pont Cysyllte bridge and the Cefn Mawr Viaduct.
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An aerial view of the aqueduct.
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An aerial view showing a basin and a football ground in Cefn Mawr.
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Another aerial view of the aqueduct.
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The Pontcysyllte Aqueduct viewed from below at its northern end in July 2021.
See also
In Spanish: Acueducto de Pontcysyllte para niños
