June 1794

Finances are barely sufficient to keep the Road in tolerable repair
and they are by their act precluded from expending any part of their
Income upon the repair of Bridges liable to be repaired by private Persons
Bodies politic or Corporate, or the County, they have never been able to
entertain an Idea of entering on a work of such magnitude and as the
Bridge is (however incommodious) in good repair and not likely to be in
such a state as to require its being rebuilt for many years, they thought
they could not with any propriety request the County to rebuild it in the
manner abovementioned however desirable the object may be

But as at this present time two circumstances exist which
encourage them to hope that the Rebuilding the Bridge in the manner
proposed may be carried into Execution at a moderate expence to the
County they are induced to lay this Memorial before your Worships for
your mature consideration.

The First of these circumstances is, that the Wooden foot
Bridge herein before mentioned is in great want of repair and has been
directed to be repaired by an Order of Sessions and an Estimate of such
repair has been made by your Surveyor amounting to £60: which
Repair has been postponed on Account of the second circumstance above
alluded to namely that the course of the Grand Junction Canal passes
under the said Bridge in the channel of the said River Brent and a
doubt has been entertained whether the Arch of the present Bridge is high
enough to admit the Craft that will navigate the said Canal to pass under
it commodiously at flood times which very frequently happen in that River
in the Winter and sometimes on sudden great falls of Rain in the Summer

That in the progress of the Canal Work, this doubt is almost
become a certainty and the principal Surveyor Mr. Jessop has declared it as
his opinion that although he thinks the present Arch may answer the
purpose by deepening the bed of the River under the Bridge (which it may be
remarked may endanger the Bridge ) by undermining the Piers of it, yet to
have an higher Arch and a Bridge standing at right Angles with the
Canal and the Lock there newly constructed would be so desireable an
Object, that he would advise the Company to come to an Agreement with