Mr Monkey scampered up to bridge No 18, the New Mills and Stockport Road Bridge. This is sometimes just called Posset Bridge because Samuel Oldknow was afraid that the bridge wasn't going to be finished on time, so he gave the workers ale possets for breakfast, which somehow made them work faster. The arch on the left is blocked, but is where a canal branch from Oldknow's limekilns came out. When he got to the bridge, Mr Monkey paused for a moment at the mouth of the horse tunnel beside the main arch.
You can read a recipe for ale posset in Elizabeth Moxon's English Housewifery (at the Adelaide University website).
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Copyright Rik Shepherd and Mr Monkey. This page last modified 9 June 2007