Dundas Aqueduct - Misplaced Pages

Bridge in Limpley Stoke

Dundas Aqueduct

Coordinates	51°21′42″N 2°18′38″W / 51.3616°N 2.3105°W / 51.3616; -2.3105
OS grid reference	ST784625
Carries	Kennet and Avon Canal
Crosses	River Avon, Wessex Main Line
Locale	Limpley Stoke
Maintained by	Canal & River Trust
Heritage status	Grade I
Characteristics
Pier construction	Bath Stone
Total length	150 yards (137.2 m)
Longest span	65 feet (19.8 m)
History
Designer	John Rennie
Construction start	1797
Construction end	1801
Opened	1805
Rebuilt	1984
Location

Dundas Aqueduct (grid reference ST785625) is an aqueduct in England which carries the Kennet and Avon Canal over the River Avon (the Somerset / Wiltshire border) and the Wessex Main Line railway. The aqueduct is near Monkton Combe, Somerset, and is about 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) south-east of the city of Bath.

It was designed by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas between 1797 and 1801, and completed in 1805. James McIlquham was appointed contractor. It is named after Charles Dundas, the first chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal Company. The aqueduct is 150 yards (137.2 m) long with three arches built of Bath Stone, with Doric pilasters, and balustrades at each end. The central semi-circular arch spans 64 feet (19.5 m); the two oval side arches span 20 feet (6.1 m).

The canal crosses back across the Avon and the railway on another aqueduct at Avoncliff. This diversion onto the right bank of the Avon avoids the steep sides of the river valley at Limpley Stoke, and the need to cross the Midford Brook and River Frome.

It is a Grade I listed building, and was the first canal structure to be designated as a scheduled monument in 1951.

Over many years, leaks had developed and the aqueduct was closed in 1954. For a while in the 1960s and 1970s, the canal was dry and it was possible to walk along the bed on each side of the river, as well as through the aqueduct itself. The aqueduct was relined with polythene and concrete and restored, reopening in 1984. Care was taken not to disturb a colony of bats living under the aqueduct.

The Dundas Aqueduct from the eastern end. The canal boat in the picture can turn left to moorings on the only remaining section of the Somerset Coal Canal or turn right to traverse the last few miles of the canal into the city of Bath. The walls of the Aqueduct can be seen on the left and right; the river and railway are unseen far below.

The aqueduct is also the junction between the Kennet and Avon Canal and the largely derelict Somerset Coal Canal. The short stretch of the Somerset Coal Canal still in water forms Brassknocker Basin, used for boat moorings, cycle hire and a cafe, and is next to Dundas Wharf where the small tollhouse, warehouse and crane still stand. The stretch of river below and above the aqueduct is used by Monkton Combe School Boat Club (Monkton Bluefriars) up to six days a week, since at least the 1960s. At the opposite (Wiltshire) end of the aqueduct a wharf was constructed serving the Conkwell stone quarries.

Between 2002 and 2004, further restoration was undertaken that included replacing engineering bricks, which had been used by the Great Western Railway to make earlier repairs, with Bath Stone to match the original work.

In 2015, the railway below the aqueduct was lowered to allow the route to be used as a diversionary route for freight trains in the future. Network Rail published a time-lapse video of the work.

References

Cragg, Roger (1997). Wales and West Central England: Wales and West Central England, 2nd Edition. Thomas Telford. ISBN 0-7277-2576-9.
^ Pearson, Michael (2003). Kennet & Avon Middle Thames:Pearson's Canal Companion. Rugby: Central Waterways Supplies. ISBN 0-907864-97-X.
"Dundas Aqueduct". Kennet & Avon Canal. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
Historic England. "Dundas Aqueduct (1215193)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 31 January 2021.
Allsop, Niall (1987). The Kennet & Avon Canal. Bath: Millstream Book. ISBN 0-948975-15-6.
"Dundas Aqueduct". Canal and Rivers Trust. Retrieved 14 September 2017.
"Dundas Wharf Project". Claverton Pumping Station. Retrieved 14 September 2006.
Halse, Roger; Simon Castens (2000). The Somersetshire Coal Canal: A Pictorial Journey. Bath: Millstream Books. ISBN 0-948975-58-X.
"Dundas Aqueduct". British Waterways. Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 17 May 2011.
"Great Western Route Modernisation - Bath and North East Somerset". Network Rail. 15 November 2015. Archived from the original on 21 September 2015. Retrieved 13 December 2015.

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's
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

Associations

Notes: Administered by the Environment Agency
Proposed or abandoned

Categories:

See also

References