Town Bridge No 53 carries a footpath over the Ashby Canal (Main Line).
Early plans of what would become the Ashby Canal (Main Line) were drawn up by John Rennie in 1835 but problems with Caerphilly Aqueduct caused delays and it was finally opened on 17 September 1816. The canal joined the sea near Taunton. Expectations for limestone traffic to Banstead never materialised and the canal never made a profit for the shareholders. Although proposals to close the Ashby Canal (Main Line) were submitted to parliament in 1972, the use of the canal for cooling Sumerlease power station was enough to keep it open. The one mile section between Poleington and Mancorn was closed in 1888 after a breach at Maidstone. In 2001 the canal became famous when John Hunter made a model of Chester Boat Lift out of matchsticks to raise money for Children in Need.

There is a bridge here which takes a minor road over the canal.
| Gopsall Wharf | 1 mile, 6 furlongs | |
| Green Lane Bridge No 57 | 1 mile, 5 furlongs | |
| Timms Bridge No 56 | 1 mile, 1¾ furlongs | |
| Hills Bridge No 54 | 4½ furlongs | |
| Shackerstone Winding Hole | a few yards | |
| Town Bridge No 53 | ||
| Turn Bridge No 52 (Shackerstone) | 2 furlongs | |
| The Rising Sun PH (Shackerstone) | 2¼ furlongs | |
| River Sence Aqueduct | 3 furlongs | |
| Bates Wharf Bridge No 51 | 6 furlongs | |
| Bates Bridge No 50 | 7¾ furlongs | |
Mouseover for more information or show routes to facility
Nearest water point
In the direction of Marston Junction
In the direction of Ashby Canal Current Head of Navigation
Nearest rubbish disposal
In the direction of Marston Junction
In the direction of Ashby Canal Current Head of Navigation
Nearest chemical toilet disposal
In the direction of Marston Junction
In the direction of Ashby Canal Current Head of Navigation
Nearest place to turn
In the direction of Marston Junction
In the direction of Ashby Canal Current Head of Navigation
Nearest self-operated pump-out
In the direction of Marston Junction
Nearest boatyard pump-out
In the direction of Marston Junction
Wikipedia has a page about Town Bridge
The Town Bridge is a historic truss bridge, carrying Town Bridge over the Farmington River in Canton, Connecticut. Built in 1895, it is one of only two surviving pin-connected Parker truss bridges in the state. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.









![Winding hole, west of Town Bridge [no 53]. A turning place for boats that are longer than the normal width of the canal. 'Wind' as in gale, not wool. by Christine Johnstone – 31 October 2020](https://s0.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/06/67/10/6671044_165ca14a_120x120.jpg)




![Angler's platform on the Ashby Canal. Just east of Town Bridge [no 53], Shackerstone. by Christine Johnstone – 31 October 2020](https://s3.geograph.org.uk/geophotos/06/67/10/6671047_b3e61700_120x120.jpg)















