History in Structure

Humber Road Tunnel north portal

A Grade II Listed Building in Lower Stoke, Coventry

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Coordinates

Latitude: 52.3967 / 52°23'48"N

Longitude: -1.4887 / 1°29'19"W

OS Eastings: 434886

OS Northings: 277752

OS Grid: SP348777

Mapcode National: GBR HKR.ZW

Mapcode Global: VHBX5.41T1

Plus Code: 9C4W9GW6+MG

Entry Name: Humber Road Tunnel north portal

Listing Date: 21 December 2015

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1431172

ID on this website: 101431172

Location: Pinley Gardens, Coventry, West Midlands, CV3

County: Coventry

Electoral Ward/Division: Lower Stoke

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Coventry

Traditional County: Warwickshire

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): West Midlands

Church of England Parish: Coventry, All Saints

Church of England Diocese: Coventry

Tagged with: Architectural structure

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Summary


A tunnel portal dating from c.1838.

Description


A tunnel portal dating from c.1838.

MATERIALS: The tunnel portal is constructed of stone.

PLAN: The portal faces north and is roughly elliptical in plan.

DESCRIPTION: The portal consists of a central round arched opening with flanking retaining walls. The portal surround has an inner band of zigzag decoration with an outer band of scalloped and plain mouldings. The stone of the retaining wall is tooled ashlar, laid in regular courses and capped with large stones.


History


The London and Birmingham Railway was established in the 1830s to build the railway line between London and Birmingham, with Robert Stephenson appointed as the company's chief engineer. This was to be the first main line railway between London and another major city. The first parts of the line were opened in 1837, with the remainder opening in 1838.

Much of the line was widened during the 1960s, but this work did not reach beyond Rugby. This tunnel, which is approximately 140 metres south west of Humber Road, then called Folly Lane, is thought to date from the original construction of the railway, c.1838. It is now approached from the north through a later tunnel underneath the Coventry Loop Line which opened in 1914. This line is no longer in use.

Reasons for Listing


The Humber Road Tunnel North Portal, dating from c.1838, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Date: it dates from the pioneering phase of railway development and survives substantially intact;
* Architectural interest: the portal displays a remarkable level of architectural detail for a structure of its type.

External Links

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