Volunteers from the Melksham, Chippenham and Calne branch of the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust have completed work on a new bridge at Pewsham Locks near Chippenham.
The red-brick structure has been built at the top of the lock flight and will eventually provide vehicle access to a restored dry dock and a carpenter's workshop, which is currently under construction.
The project took around three years to complete and forms part of ongoing efforts to restore sections of the former Wilts & Berks Canal.
Before work on the bridge could begin, volunteers rebuilt the entrance walls on either side of the derelict lock and carried out repairs to the lock chamber itself. Loose bricks were removed, cleaned and carefully reset as part of the restoration.
Project lead Roger Noyce said the work had proved challenging despite the use of modern tools.
He said: "Even with the help of modern powered tools, it was a very complex piece of work.
"A survey revealed the lock chamber had narrowed due to slight movement of the walls over the centuries, making it too tight for boats to pass through, so the team had to remove entire rows of bricks and cut them in half before putting them back.
"But now it's finished, it looks even better than we ever imagined and I'd like to thank everyone who played their part."
The bridge replaces an earlier crossing used by farmers which collapsed many years ago. Since then, walkers have relied on a temporary wooden footbridge.
The trust hopes the restored area will become a visitor attraction and educational facility alongside the section of canal that has already been restored at Pewsham Locks.
Members of the public will be able to see the latest progress during an open day on Saturday 11th July, which will include guided tours, boat trips and a pop-up café.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is working to restore the historic waterway between the Kennet & Avon Canal near Melksham and the Thames and Severn Canal near Cricklade, reconnecting towns including Calne, Chippenham, Royal Wootton Bassett and Swindon.
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