Listed Building: CHEWTON BRIDGE (461985)

SZ 29 SW CHRISTCHURCH LYMINGTON ROAD, A337 Highcliffe 748/13/10013 Chewton Bridge II Road bridge over Walkford Brook. Built in 1901. Red brick with stone coping and with concealed reinforced concrete beam. Segmental skew arch, and parapets terminating in scrolls at the ends of the long abutments; the parapets are cranked over the centre and some of the coping stones have been replaced with concrete. Originally the bridge was designed with an unusual skew arch with courses of brick at right-angles, rather than being diagonally coursed as is usual with skew arches. This did not satisfy the County Surveyor, who required the contractor's engineer to strengthen the bridge with a reinforced concrete beam over the brick arch. The beam spans almost 5 metres and is to Hennebique's patent specification and completely concealed within the brick structure. It was the first reinforced concrete bridge to be built in Britain. ALSO INCLUDED IN THE 7TH LIST FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW FOREST (HAMPSHIRE) BY VIRTUE OF THE 12TH AMENDMENT TO THAT UST. See under LYMINGTON, CHRISTCHURCH ROAD, A337, Chewton. Listing NGR: SZ2234293853

Record last edited

Nov 1 2006 5:00PM