Specialist harnessed contractors will carry out vital maintenance work to remove unwanted vegetation which has taken root in crevices of the Grade II* listed aqueduct. Using trowels and other hand tools, they will dig out ivy, moss, weeds and even young saplings which, if left unchecked, could damage masonry on the impressive 200-year-old structure.
The work is part of a wider project undertaken by us to protect heritage structures along the Llangollen and Montgomery canals this winter, including the magnificent Pontcysllte and Chirk aqueducts.
Constructed by famous canal engineer Thomas Telford between 1796 and 1801, Chirk Aqueduct is a masterpiece of civil engineering. Measuring 70-foot (21 m) high and 710-foot (220 m) long the aqueduct carries the Llangollen Canal across the Ceiriog Valley near Chirk, on the England-Wales border, spanning the two countries. The aqueduct consists of ten arches, each with a span of 40 feet (12 m). The water level is 65 feet (20 m) above the ground and 70 feet (21 m) above the River Ceiriog.
Steve Hinton, our contracts supervisor, said: "This is a rare opportunity to see people abseiling over this breathtaking structure to remove overgrown vegetation which has built up over several years.
"The work we are doing here will help to safeguard these unique, heritage structures for generations to come."
