Two Box Underbridges: Forgotten Brunel Bridges Text & photos Varian Tye June 2020
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These are historic Box masterpieces built by IK Brunel at the same time as Box Tunnel. They have been under-appreciated until now.
Box and Middlehill Tunnels readily spring to mind as works by the great Victorian engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel. However, there are other less well-known historic railway structures in the parish of Box such as the two underbridges which still survive and are worth a closer study. An underbridge is a bridge spanning an opening under a railway or road. In the case of the above underbridges they also cross the historic By Brook.
One underbridge is located to the east of the former site of Box Station and it is not accessible to the public as it is on private land. The other can be seen from Lovar Gardens and has a public right of way over it, Box Footpath 2, which starts from Mill Lane, crosses the bridge and continues west into open countryside. Both bridges are located within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This footpath also forms part of a long distance footpath Cross-Cotswold Long Distance Pathway from Banbury to Bath (https://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Macmillan+Way+-+Cross+Cotswold+Pathway).
One underbridge is located to the east of the former site of Box Station and it is not accessible to the public as it is on private land. The other can be seen from Lovar Gardens and has a public right of way over it, Box Footpath 2, which starts from Mill Lane, crosses the bridge and continues west into open countryside. Both bridges are located within the Cotswold Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. This footpath also forms part of a long distance footpath Cross-Cotswold Long Distance Pathway from Banbury to Bath (https://www.ldwa.org.uk/ldp/members/show_path.php?path_name=Macmillan+Way+-+Cross+Cotswold+Pathway).
Reason for Building the Underbridges
The 1840 Tithe Apportionment map below shows parts of the parish prior to the construction of the Great Western Railway. Brunel faced not only tackling the topography at Middlehill and Box Hill but also the By Brook, its flood plain, existing buildings and historic routes between settlements, for example, the road from Ashley to Middlehill and Cutting Mill. If you look carefully at the map you can see a faint doted red line, the intended route of the GWR.
The 1840 Tithe Apportionment map below shows parts of the parish prior to the construction of the Great Western Railway. Brunel faced not only tackling the topography at Middlehill and Box Hill but also the By Brook, its flood plain, existing buildings and historic routes between settlements, for example, the road from Ashley to Middlehill and Cutting Mill. If you look carefully at the map you can see a faint doted red line, the intended route of the GWR.
The map below shows the route of the GWR together with the location of the two underbridges on the By Brook. Interesting features are the footpath over the underbridge at Lovar Gardens, now a public right of way, and the road bridge that once served Ashley to Middlehill, which appears to still survive northwest of the underbridge east of Box Station.
As noted in the map, the building of the GWR had a major impact on Cutting Mill which was demolished. For further information on Cutting Mill and the impact of the railway in this area please see the article on the website.
As noted in the map, the building of the GWR had a major impact on Cutting Mill which was demolished. For further information on Cutting Mill and the impact of the railway in this area please see the article on the website.
Know Your Place Web site, Study of Historic Maps, 1844 – 1889 OS Map (courtesy http://www.kypwest.org.uk/ )
The Underbridge East of Former Box Railway Station
There is no public access to this impressive Brunel underbridge. However, I have been able to take photographs of the bridge for use in this article with the kind permission of the owners of the land to the north (Clive and Kate Sugg, Meadow Bank Cottages
B & B) and to the south of the underbridge (Platinum, Nissan).
There is no public access to this impressive Brunel underbridge. However, I have been able to take photographs of the bridge for use in this article with the kind permission of the owners of the land to the north (Clive and Kate Sugg, Meadow Bank Cottages
B & B) and to the south of the underbridge (Platinum, Nissan).
Southern elevation
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Northern elevation
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This underbridge is a heritage asset of special architectural and historic interest and listed Grade II. The listing description identifies the underbridge as By Brook Bridge and meriting designation Grade II because it is an early example of a railway structure dating from the pioneering phase in national railway development.[1] The listing goes on to say:
Remains of the historic bridge between Ashley and Middlehill, referred to above, appear to survive on the banks of the By Brook, to the north west of the underbridge. The photographs below show the likely remnants of the bridge.
Photos courtesy Clive and Kate Sugg
- Rarity: a highly-individual example of a culvert or underbridge that survives well from the earliest phase of the Great Western Railway.
- Design: an architectural treatment on structures of this type is unusual and, in this case, the rusticated voussoirs (wedge-shaped stones) on the south side add to the special interest.
- Historic association: it is constructed to a design by Isambard Kingdom Brunel who is widely perceived as one of the most important transport engineers and architects of the C19….…By (or Box) Brook Underbridge was built c.1840 under Contract 15B on the Chippenham to Bath section of the route, which opened on 30 June 1841. A contract drawing for ‘Cutting Mill Culvert’ survives which may be for By Brook Underbridge. …
Remains of the historic bridge between Ashley and Middlehill, referred to above, appear to survive on the banks of the By Brook, to the north west of the underbridge. The photographs below show the likely remnants of the bridge.
Photos courtesy Clive and Kate Sugg
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Lovar By Brook Underbridge
The Lovar By Brook Underbridge (given that name as it can be seen clearly by the public from the Lovar Gardens) appears to have also been constructed by Brunel. Strangely it is not listed as a building of special architectural and historic interest, as the previous underbridge, yet it may be argued to be a better example and appears to have been constructed at the same time.
The Lovar By Brook Underbridge (given that name as it can be seen clearly by the public from the Lovar Gardens) appears to have also been constructed by Brunel. Strangely it is not listed as a building of special architectural and historic interest, as the previous underbridge, yet it may be argued to be a better example and appears to have been constructed at the same time.
Digi picture of the southerneElevation of the Lovar Bridge
The south elevation of this underbridge is particularly fine. Note the very attractive incised large natural stone voussoirs, projecting central keystone and very impressive large stone copings, probably constructed all in local Bath stone, perhaps from surrounding Box quarries. Unlike other railway structures in the parish of Box where stone was used, the south elevation of the bridge has not suffered from inappropriate patch repairs in engineering bricks.
The northern elevation is not as grand as the southern, perhaps because it was located in a less visible location. The southern when constructed was overlooked from the fields, which ran down from the village of Box to the By Brook, and it appears to have had a footpath constructed over it when it was built. People walking on the footpath would have had a good view of the bridge.
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The northern elevation is less intact than the southern and some parts have been patched with brick. It also has unsightly metal pipes jutting out from its façade. If the pipes are redundant it would be good if they could be carefully removed and natural ashlar stone to match existing used to make good repairs. This would restore and enhance the bridges appearance. The north elevation of the underbridge cannot be accessed by the public as the land is in private ownership and is not easily seen from surrounding countryside or roads.
Although this underbridge is not at present listed as of special architectural and historic interest, it was probably designed by Brunel. The bridge is located within Box Conservation Area and remains an important Box heritage asset. It is worthy of conservation and sympathetic repairs if works were ever required to it in the future. It would be a shame to find any of the historic and attractive stonework on the south elevation suddenly replaced by brick patch repairs.
Although this underbridge is not at present listed as of special architectural and historic interest, it was probably designed by Brunel. The bridge is located within Box Conservation Area and remains an important Box heritage asset. It is worthy of conservation and sympathetic repairs if works were ever required to it in the future. It would be a shame to find any of the historic and attractive stonework on the south elevation suddenly replaced by brick patch repairs.
Reference
[1] For the full list description of the underbridge with map showing its location please refer to the following link:
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1410949
[1] For the full list description of the underbridge with map showing its location please refer to the following link:
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1410949