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| HER Number | MWB6047 |
|---|
| Record Type | Monument |
|---|
| Name | Basildon Bridge or Gatehampton Viaduct |
|---|
Summary
Grade II listed bridge over the River Thames, part of Brunel's scheme which was widened in the late 19th century by the Great Western Railway
Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status
- Listed Building (II) 1290673: Gatehampton Viaduct (MLN14402)
Other Statuses and Cross-References
- Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 05053.11.010
Monument Type(s):
Full Description
The bridge is depicted in a contemporary engraving <1>. Listed grade II. Gatehampton Bridge over Thames at Lower Basildon. Built 1838-39 by I. K. Brunel. Four slightly skew semi-elliptical arches. Stone semi-circular cutwaters. An original bridge built by the Great Western Railway.
The four span viaduct over the Thames was constructed between 1837 and 1840, and widened by the Great Western Railway in 1890-93. It is one of the most substantial Brunel structures on the Great Western Main Line, and a major piece of engineering from the Pioneering Phase of railway construction.
Gatehampton Viaduct was reassessed in 2012 as part of a consultation on heritage asset structures along the Great Western Railway <4>. In spite of its significance, it remained listed at Grade II <5> rather than being upgraded to II* due to alteration of the west elevation, and the reason that it is smaller and less impressive than its closest comparator, Moulsford.
Sources and further reading
| <01> | Bourne, J C. c1850. Bassildon (sic) Bridge. [Graphic material / SWB146771] |
| <02> | Tyack, G, Bradley, S and Pevsner, N. 2010. The Buildings of England (Berkshire). p152. [Monograph / SWB147855] |
| <03> | Alan Baxter & Associates LLP. 2012. Great Western Main Line Route Structures Gazetteer. WBC Network. MLN1 4402. [Unpublished document / SWB148447]
https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/publications/gwml-gazetteer/ (Accessed 21/12/2015) |
| <04> | English Heritage. 18/04/2012. Great Western Railway Main Line Designation Consultation. p23-5. [Unpublished document / SWB148568] |
| <05> | Historic England (previously English Heritage). 2011-present. The National Heritage List for England (NHLE). 01/08/2012. [Website / SWB12648]
http://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/ (Accessed 06/02/2019) |
| <06> | Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group. 1966-1991. Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group Gazetteer of Industrial Sites & Monuments. 2023 WBC Network. OG104. [Unpublished document / SWB12762] |
Related Monuments
| MWB6024 | GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY - General record within West Berkshire (Monument) |
| MWB6046 | Pangbourne Station to Oxfordshire Railway Line (Monument) |
| MWB5753 | Gun emplacement - Basildon Bridge over River Thames (Monument) |
| MWB20857 | Site of Elephant Shelter - Basildon Bridge (Monument) |
Associated Excavations and Fieldwork
| EWB1265 | History and Significance of the Great Western Main Line |
| EWB176 | Berkshire Industrial Archaeology Group Survey |
| EWB1446 | Gatehampton Viaduct MLN1/4402 Heritage Statement |
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