Avoncliff Aqueduct

Bridge in Avoncliff

51°20′20″N 2°16′57″W / 51.3389°N 2.2825°W / 51.3389; -2.2825OS grid referenceST802593CarriesKennet and Avon CanalCrossesRiver Avon,
Heart of Wessex LineLocaleAvoncliffMaintained byCanal & River TrustCharacteristicsTrough constructionBrick and stonePier constructionBrick and stoneTotal length330 feet (100.6 m)Traversable?YesTowpathsBothLongest span60 feet (18.3 m)No. of spans3HistoryDesignerJohn RennieConstruction start1797Opened1805Location Map

Avoncliff Aqueduct (grid reference ST803599) carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon and the Bath to Westbury railway, at Avoncliff in Wiltshire, England, about 1+1⁄2 miles (2.4 km) west of Bradford-on-Avon. It was built by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas, between 1797 and 1801. It is a Grade II* listed structure.^[1]

During construction, stone from a local quarry was used which split when affected by frost. This caused buttresses to collapse and parts of the structure to need rebuilding. Eventually Bath stone from Bathampton Down was used to ensure greater stability.^[2]

The aqueduct has three arches and is 110 yards (100.6 m) long, with a central elliptical arch of 60 ft (18.3 m) span, and two semicircular side arches each 34 ft (10.4 m) across, all with V-jointed arch stones. The spandrel and wing walls are built in alternate courses of ashlar masonry and rock-faced blocks.^[3] The central span sagged soon after it was built and has been repaired many times.^[4]

As part of the 20th-century restoration of the canal, the aqueduct was lined with a concrete "cradle" and made watertight in 1980.^[5]

Gallery

Crossing the Avoncliff Aqueduct
View from Avoncliff railway station
The aqueduct seen from the Bradford-on-Avon side, with the River Avon beneath

References

^ Historic England. "Avoncliff Aqueduct (1021876)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 April 2015.
^ Hawkins, Derek (2011). Bath Stone Quarries. Folly Books. pp. 36–37. ISBN 9780956440549.
^ "Avoncliff Aqueduct". Avoncliff. Archived from the original on 30 November 2016. Retrieved 7 May 2013.
^ Allsop, Niall (1987). The Kennet & Avon Canal. Bath: Millstream Book. ISBN 0-948975-15-6.
^ "The Kennet and Avon Canal". Avoncliff. Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2011.

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Kennet and Avon Canal

Features

Locks	1 Hanham 2 Keynsham 3 Swineford 4 Saltford 5 Kelston 6 Weston 7–13 Bath Locks 14 Bradford 15–16 Semington Locks 17–21 Seend Locks 22–50 Caen Hill Locks 51 Wootton Rivers 52 Heathy Close 53 Brimslade 54 Cadley 55–63 Crofton Locks 64 Bedwyn Church 65 Burnt Mill 66 Potter's 67 Little Bedwyn 68 Oakhill Down 69 Froxfield Middle 70 Froxfield Bottom 71 Picketfield 72 Cobbler's 73 Hungerford Marsh 74 Hungerford 75 Dun Mill 76 Wire 77 Brunsden 78 Kintbury 79 Dreweatt's 80 Copse 81 Hamstead 82 Benham 83 Higg's 84 Guyer's 85 Newbury 86 Greenham 87 Ham 88 Bull's 89 Widmead 90 Monkey Marsh 91 Colthrop 92 Midgham 93 Heale's 94 Woolhampton 95 Aldermaston 96 Padworth 97 Towney 98 Ufton 99 Tyle Mill 90 Sulhamstead 101 Sheffield 102 Garston 103 Burghfield 104 Southcote 105 Fobney 106 County 107 Blake's¹
Tunnels	Sydney Gardens Tunnels Bruce Tunnel
Bridges	New Bridge Victoria Bridge Midland Bridge Newbury Bridge Burghfield Bridge High Bridge
Aqueducts	Dundas Aqueduct Avoncliff Aqueduct Biss Aqueduct Ladydown Aqueduct Semington Aqueduct New Semington Aqueduct Summerham Aqueduct River Dun Aqueduct
Pumping stations	Claverton Pumping Station Crofton Pumping Station
Museums	Kennet and Avon Canal Museum Riverside Museum at Blake's Lock
Misc.	Wilton Water

Connecting navigations

Engineers and proprietors

Kennet Navigation	John Hore Francis Page Sr. Francis Page Jr. Frederick Page
Avon Navigation	John Padmore
Kennet and Avon Canal	John Rennie John Thomas Dudley Clark John Blackwell Thomas Evans Blackwell