History

The viaduct was built to the design of Henry Robinson, chief engineer to the Shrewsbury to Chester Railway, in 1846-1848, Thomas Brassey being the general contractor. 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. Robinson's survey had in part to be undertaken at night due to the hositility of Col Robert Myddleton-Biddulph of Chirk Castle. The line became part of the Great Western Railway system in 1854.

Exterior

Built of coursed squared rock-faced stone, the upper arch stage of brick faced with stone. It is approximately 260m (849ft) long, comprising 16 arches, ten forming the major span, rising 30m (100ft) above the river, and 3 each end, built at first in wood, and replaced in stone in 1858. The main piers are tapered upwards to the an ashlar fascia and torus moulding on the springing line, above which there are decorative arched niches with architraves, keystones and pediments. The arches between piers have ashlar voussoirs backed to course, with a dropped keystone. Modillion cornice below the ashlar parapet.

Reasons for Listing

Included at II* as an important example of railway engineering of the mid C19, and of group value with Chirk Aqueduct.

External Links

• Cadwr Listing
• Chirk Viaduct at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17550817

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

• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Surrey (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey