The Avon Aqueduct is the largest of three major aqueducts along the Union Canal. The others are the Almond Aqueduct and the Slateford Aqueduct over the Water of Leith. All three Aqueducts are built to the same design.
The Avon Aqueduct is a category A listed building situated around 2 miles to the west of Linlithgow and carries the Union Canal over the River Avon in a cast iron trough, connecting the West Lothian and Falkirk districts.
It was constructed between 1819 to 1821 and was designed by Hugh Baird, who took advice from Thomas Telford who constructed the first large cast iron aqueduct at Longdon-on-Tern on the Shrewsbury canal in 1796. The notorious Burke and Hare worked on the canal as navvies.
At 247 metres long and 86 feet (26 metres) high, it is the longest and tallest aqueduct in Scotland. It is the second longest in Britain, the longest being the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct in Wales.
