Description

1870/0/10013

WHISTON
DRAGON LANE
ROPERS BRIDGE

02-NOV-07

II
Road bridge spanning the former Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line. c.1829, by George Stephenson, engineer. Coursed squared blocks of red sandstone with decorative tooling finishes and ashlar dressings.

DESCRIPTION: Single span arched masonry bridge, spanning the former Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line, and aligned south west to north east at an angle to the rail track. It supports a dual lane carriageway and a pedestrian footpath to the west side and to the approaches to the east side only. Low parapet walls of large sandstone blocks with banded rustication to the external faces, two short sections of the west parapet wall with replacement copings. The main body of the bridge formed of large stone blocks with vermiculated rustication, the segmental arch with deep voussoirs and projecting keystone flanked by full-height pilaster strips. The spandrel walls are strengthened with C20 tie bars. Above the arch, a projecting band course supports the bridge parapet. Large rusticated coursed masonry block walling continues for a short distance beyond the pilaster strips beneath a band course and is then replaced by approach walling of plainer character with some replaced copings, and a continuation of the band course. Wide abutments support walls to the south side of the bridge.

HISTORY: The Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line was completed in 1829 and officially opened on the 15th September 1830. It is widely regarded as the earliest locomotive passenger line in the world (the earlier Stockton-Darlington line of 1821 having been primarily used for transporting goods rather than people).
In 1826 George Stephenson was appointed as the line's engineer and designed not only the railway line and associated tunnels and cuttings, but a number of road and railway overbridges which were constructed c.1829.

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
Ropers Bridge is designated at grade II for the following principal reasons:

* The bridge is one of the earliest bridges of the railway age, designed and built by George Stephenson in c.1829 on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line, which is widely regarded as the earliest locomotive passenger line in the world
* Despite some minor stonework replacement, the bridge is well preserved and in good condition with no evidence of widening. Architectural interest is enhanced by the angled design and the incorporation of rusticated stonework.
* The bridge has strong group value with the nearby Skew Bridge, Rainhill and Railway Bridge, Huyton with Roby, both listed at Grade II. Together the bridges form an important contemporary and similarly designed group of angled bridges designed by George Stephenson as significant representative elements of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line and the early development of the British railway network.

Reasons for Listing

Ropers Bridge is listed at grade II for the following principal reasons:

* The bridge is one of the earliest bridges of the railway age, designed and built by George Stephenson in c.1829 on the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line, which is widely regarded as the earliest locomotive passenger line in the world
* Despite some minor stonework replacement overall the bridge is well preserved and in good condition with no evidence of widening. Architectural interest is provided by the angled design and the incorporation of rusticated stonework
* The bridge has strong group value with the nearby grade II listed bridges of Skew Bridge, Rainhill and Railway Bridge, Huyton with Roby. Together the bridges form an important contemporary and similarly designed group of angled bridges designed by George Stephenson that represent the early development of the Liverpool & Manchester Railway Line and the British railway network in general

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26671529

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)