Survey Data
Reg No
31208018
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Technical
Original Use
Viaduct
Date
1890 - 1895
Coordinates
98461, 293859
Date Recorded
03/11/2010
Date Updated
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Description
Seven-arch railway viaduct over river, dated 1892; opened 1894; extant 1897. Closed, 1934. Reopened, 1936. Closed, 1937. Tuck pointed snecked rock faced sandstone walls centred on drag edged rock faced cut-limestone battered triangular cutwater piers having lichen-covered dragged cut-limestone pyramidal capping with drag edged rock faced cut-limestone chamfered stringcourses supporting parapets having lichen-covered drag edged rock faced cut-limestone coping centred on drag edged cut-limestone date stone ("1892"). Series of seven segmental arches with drag edged rock faced limestone ashlar voussoirs centred on drag edged rock faced cut-limestone keystones. Sited spanning Owennadarrydivva or Newport River with unkempt grass banks to river.
Appraisal
An impressive viaduct widely regarded as a particularly important component of the late nineteenth-century civil engineering heritage of Newport on account of the connections with the extension of the Mayo Branch of the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) line (opened 1894) by the Midland Great Western Railway (MGWR) Company with the architectural value of the composition, one recalling the William Barrington (1825-95)-designed viaduct at Westport (see 31212192), confirmed not only by the rock faced surface finish demonstrating exemplary workmanship, but also by the elegant "sweep" of the arches making a dramatic visual statement at a crossing over the Owennadarrydivva or Newport River.