Avon Aqueduct

The Avon Aqueduct is the longest and tallest canal aqueduct in Scotland and the second-longest in the United Kingdom. It carries the Union Canal across the River Avon a half-mile (1 km) south southwest of Whitecross and 2½ miles (4 km) west southwest of Linlithgow, straddling the boundary between West Lothian and Falkirk Council Areas. Built 1819-22, this twelve-arch masonry structure was designed by the noted engineer Thomas Telford (1757 - 1834) and executed by Hugh Baird (1770 - 1827). It is identical in its fundamental design to the other aqueducts on the canal at Slateford and over the River Almond. Each arch is 15.2m (50 feet) giving the crossing an overall length of 247m (810 feet). It is 25.9m (85 feet) in height. The canal itself is contained in cast-iron trough, braced against the masonry walls with iron stays, and is 2.1m (7 feet) deep and 4.1m (13½ feet) wide, with towpaths along both sides.

Category-A listed in 1971, the aqueduct is the property of British Waterways.


Use the tabs on the right of this page to see other parts of this entry arrow

If you have found this information useful please consider making
a donation to help maintain and improve this resource. More info...

By using our site you agree to accept cookies, which help us serve you better