British Waterways has started to uncover a 200-year old aqueduct by removing the trees, bushes and overgrown ivy which has hidden the Grade I listed Marple Aqueduct from full view.

Specialist contractors will abseil around 100 feet from the Marple Aqueduct – also known as the Grand Aqueduct - to carefully remove years of vegetation which has taken hold and has been undermining the structure’s masonry.

Marple Aqueduct is an impressive feature of the Peak Forest Canal and is designated as a Scheduled Ancient Monument site.  Carrying the Peak Forest canal high above the River Goyt, the Aqueduct consists of three stone arches and was built between 1794 -1801.

British Waterways’ national vegetation contractors will be carrying out the works which will take up to one week to complete.

Mark Ashton, contracts manager, British Waterways, said: “It will be a rare opportunity to watch the contractors hanging over this magnificent aqueduct to remove the overgrown vegetation which has built up over several years.   The work that we are doing today will be the first step in safeguarding this important piece of local and national heritage for generations to come and visually it will make a huge difference to its overall appearance.”

An application to Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to carry our further works to underpin the structural integrity of the aqueduct is being considered in the near future.