Culverting of the river

[Atarah]

This photograph shows how, in 1954, semi-circular brick culverting was done over our river in the town centre. Wooden 'cradles' are shown here in position, and behind you can see a section which has been completed. After the brickwork has been put across the staging, the wooden supports are knocked away. Clever stuff, eh? All this work had to take place before redevelopment of this central area could take place before the "umbrella" outside market was built. The culverting of the river started in Grange Lane, continued under The Arcade, across to the Market, under Broadway and then to Bull Bridge. Then the river was out of view again until Hyndburn Road, near what once was the famous Ewbank Works (now ASDA store).

[Darby]

Nice one Atarah, just goes to show that there's always proof. Taa

[Tealeaf]

The interesting thing about the river is the extent to which it has been "buried" & diverted over the years, especially in the stretch from Accy to Church. If you look at the stretch of the river alongside the Sports Centre you'll see it runs dead straight for about 150yds; it's original, natural course was to flow alongside the old Hyndburn Road (not the new bit between Gatty Park and the Dill Hall Lane); it was diverted and channelled back in the mid-19c when the Hyndburn Road reservoir was built (where the KFC & new fire station now stand).

[Darby]

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

The interesting thing about the river is the extent to which it has been "buried" & diverted over the years, especially in the stretch from Accy to Church. If you look at the stretch of the river alongside the Sports Centre you'll see it runs dead straight for about 150yds; it's original, natural course was to flow alongside the old Hyndburn Road (not the new bit between Gatty Park and the Dill Hall Lane); it was diverted and channelled back in the mid-19c when the Hyndburn Road reservoir was built (where the KFC & new fire station now stand).

True Tealeaf,

Taking it a bit further, the Stink flows underneath Steiners in Church and comes to light in the middle of the Dunkenhalgh, quite a tunnel.

[Tealeaf]

The Stink flowing under the Steiner/Joseph Arnold works is straightforward enough; however, in the 1800's there was a major problem for the Navvi's in bridging the canal over the river at Church. Because of cost restraints rather than build a viaduct they plummed for a massive earth banking on top of a brick culvert such as you see in Atarah's piccy. The problem was, the earth banking kept getting washed away. I think they eventually solved the problem by dumping hugh boulders all around.

Anyway, next time you take a walk on the canal bank between Church Kirk and Joseph Arnolds/Emerson and Renwick as you approach the swing bridge just beware that you standing on over a 100ft of boulders, clay & soil. If you cross the bridge and walk back you can look down and see the river emerge into Copy Clough and you see the width and depth of the natural river valley at this point.