Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater

His Grace The Duke of Bridgewater
Born	21 May 1736 (1736-05-21)
Died	8 March 1803 (1803-03-09)
Resting place	Church of St Peter and St Paul, Little Gaddesden, Hertfordshire 51°48′51″N 0°33′14″W / 51.81409°N 0.55380°W / 51.81409; -0.55380
Nationality	British
Other names	Francis Egerton, 3rd and last Duke of Bridgewater, Marquess of Brackley, Earl of Ellesmere, Baron Egerton.
Occupation	Canal builder
Known for	Bridgewater Canal
Title	Duke of Bridgewater
Predecessor	John Egerton, 2nd Duke of Bridgewater
Successor	title extinct
Political party	Whig
Parent(s)	Scroop Egerton, 1st Duke of Bridgewater Lady Rachael Russell

Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater (21 May 1736 – 8 March 1803), known as Lord Francis Egerton until 1748, was a British nobleman from the Egerton family. He was the youngest son of the 1st Duke. He did not marry, and the dukedom expired with him, although the earldom was inherited by a cousin, Lieutenant-General John Egerton.

A pioneer of canal construction, he is famed as the "father of British inland navigation",^[1] who commissioned the Bridgewater Canal—often said to be the first true canal in Britain, and the modern world. The canal was built for him by his agent John Gilbert with advice from James Brindley to service his coal mines at Worsley, in Lancashire.