History

The viaduct was built to the design of Henry Robinson of Llantysilio, chief engineer to the Shrewsbury to Chester Railway, in 1846, Thomas Brassey being the general contractor, and completed in August 1848. The cost was £72,346. The Shrewsbury Chester line was initiated by 'King' Robinson, who had received his training under George Stephenson, and who recognised the need, not met by the canals, to transport materials to Wrexham and Chester. The line became part of the Great Western Railway system in 1854.

Exterior

Built of coursed squared rock-faced sandstone, the upper arched stage of brick faced with stone. It is 460m (1,508ft) long, comprising 19 arches of 18.2m (60ft) span, rising 46m (147ft) above the river. The main piers are tapered upwards to the springing line, above which the arch voussoirs are recessed behind the face. Above, the low parapet is carried on a corbel table.

Reasons for Listing

Included at grade II* as a highly impressive and architecturally elegant example of mid C19 railway engineering.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing

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

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)