Avoncliff Aqueduct () carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon and the Bath to Westbury railway, at

Avoncliff Avoncliff is a small village in west Wiltshire, England, in the north of Westwood parish about southwest of Bradford-on-Avon. It is the point at which the Kennet and Avon canal crosses the river and railway line via the Avoncliff Aqueduct, w ...

in Wiltshire, England, about west of

Bradford-on-Avon Bradford-on-Avon (sometimes Bradford on Avon or Bradford upon Avon) is a town and civil parish in west Wiltshire, England, near the border with Somerset, which had a population of 9,402 at the 2011 census. The town's canal, historic buildings, s ...

. It was built by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas, between 1797 and 1801. It is a Grade II* listed structure. During construction, stone from a local quarry was used which split when affected by frost. This caused

buttress A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral ( ...

es to collapse and parts of the structure to need rebuilding. Eventually Bath stone from

Bathampton Down Bathampton Down is a flat limestone plateau in Bathampton, Somerset, England, overlooking the River Avon and the city of Bath. There is evidence of man's activity at the site since the Mesolithic period including Bathampton Camp, an Iron Age hi ...

was used to ensure greater stability. The aqueduct has three arches and is 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. The central span sagged soon after it was built and has been repaired many times. As part of the 20th-century restoration of the canal, the aqueduct was lined with a concrete "cradle" and made watertight in 1980.

Gallery

File:Avoncliff.JPG, Crossing the Avoncliff Aqueduct File:Avoncliff Aqueduct.JPG, View from

Avoncliff railway station Avoncliff railway station serves the hamlet of Avoncliff in Wiltshire, England, together with the nearby villages of Westwood and Winsley, and Turleigh hamlet. It is next to the Kennet and Avon Canal and almost adjacent to the Avoncliff Aqued ...

File:avoncliff aqueduct in wiltshire england arp.jpg, The aqueduct seen from the

side, with the River Avon beneath

References

Kennet and Avon Canal Bridges completed in 1805 Navigable aqueducts in England Grade II* listed buildings in Wiltshire Grade II* listed canals Grade II* listed bridges in England 1805 establishments in England Bridges across the River Avon, Bristol {{UK-bridge-struct-stub

Gallery

See also

References