The aqueduct, which carries the Lancaster Canal over Stainton Beck, was badly damaged by flooding after the area was hit by storms Desmond and Eva in December 2015. We carried out a complex three year restoration of the historic stone structure, delivered in partnership with the Lancaster Canal Regeneration Partnership, and supported by £1.5 million from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and grants from the Rural Payments Agency, South Lakeland District Council, Cumbria County Council and Kendal Town Council.
The celebration
Next month our project community engagement officer Carrie House will be leading a major community celebration to mark the end of the final stage of the restoration. On Saturday 9 October, the Trust will be hosting free heritage walks from Hincaster Tunnel to Sedgwick Aqueduct and paddle sports in Crooklands.
A special free drop-in exhibition, which charts Stainton Aqueduct's challenging restoration, will be staged at the Stainton Institute from Saturday 2 – Saturday 9 October, open daily 10am – 2pm.
And on Sunday 3 October, Jogging Pals will be organising a 10K charity run passing across the aqueduct, incorporating a waterside route along a newly re-surfaced 1.5km towpath section from Well Heads Lane to Field End Bridge.
An important landmark
Stainton Aqueduct was originally constructed in 1816 but suffered catastrophic damage in December 2015 when two destructive storms resulted in flood water washing away the upper towpath and apron, causing the collapse of the southern portal and wing walls.
We've raised funding to pay for the repairs and then delivered the complex restoration project which included constructing new wing walls and expert stone mason repairs to the arch barrel ceiling, decorative archway spandrel and voussoirs stones.
