Information for record number MWA1870:
Avon Viaduct

Summary Avon Viaduct, a railway viaduct that was built during the Imperial period. It is situated to the south of Brandon.
What Is It?  
Type: Railway Viaduct
Period: Imperial - Industrial (1751 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Brandon and Bretford
District: Rugby, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 40 76
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: II)
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 This is located off Willenhall Lane, Brandon. A Bourne print shows a 15 fine arch masonry viaduct with nine wide elliptically headed arches. Flanked by battlemented buttresses and 3 tall narrow arches terminated by further short battlemented buttresses. The view today is somewhat different - there seems to have been some encasing of some of the arches by embankment though the rusticated masonry is still very evident.
2 In order to carry the line of the London & Birmingham Railway across the valley of the River Avon between Rugby and Coventry, Robert Stephenson designed a low viaduct in brick and stone. The viaduct has nine main semi-elliptical arches of 24 ft. span with three smaller semi-circular arches of 10 ft. span at each end. The arches are in brickwork. The viaduct being faced in ashlar masonry. The river, which passes under three of the arches, is about 27ft. below the rail level. The viaduct carries a double line of track. The minor road from Wolston to Brandon also passes under the most westerly main arch.
 
Sources
Source No: 2
Source Type: Building Survey
Title: Panel for Historical Engineering Works
Author/originator: Institution of Civil Engineers
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: Industrial Monuments Survey
Author/originator: Falconer K A
Date: 1980
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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period Imperial 1751 AD to 1914 AD (end of the 18th century AD to the beginning of the 20th century AD)

This period comes after the Post Medieval period and before the modern period and starts with beginning of the Industrial Revolution in 1750. It includes the second part of the Hannoverian period (1714 – 1836) and the Victorian period (1837 – 1901). The Imperial period ends with the start of the First World War in 1914.
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monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument VIADUCT * A bridge, usually resting on a series of arches, carrying roadways or railways over low-lying areas. back
monument EMBANKMENT * A long ridge of earth, rocks or gravel primarily constructed to carry a roadway. back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument ENGINEERING WORKS * Any factory or site using machine tools in a manufacturing or processing capacity. back
monument RAILWAY VIADUCT * A bridge, usually resting on raised arches, carrying a railway across low-lying land or water. back
monument RAILWAY * A line or track consisting of iron or steel rails, on which passenger carriages or goods wagons are moved, usually by a locomotive engine. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record