Monument record MDO19586 - New Ground bridge 4, Portland

Arched road bridge, inclined, carrying Verne Hill Road over Merchants' Railway quarry branch incline. Well built in stone, with date 1875 on stone over arch.

Arched road bridge, inclined, carrying Verne Hill Road over Merchants' Railway quarry branch incline. Well built in stone, with date 1875 on stone over arch. (1) Shown in published photographs. (2-3) Digital archive Images of England description as follows: PORTLAND SY6873 VERNE ROAD, Yeates 969-1/3/190 Bridge at SY 6923 7333 21/09/78 (Formerly Listed as: VERNE ROAD FOUR BRIDGES OVER FORMER MERCHANT'S TRAMWAY SW OF THE VERNE'S S ENTRANCE) GV II Road bridge over mineral railway. Dated 1875. Heavy rock-faced squared stone. Single segmental arch with rusticated quoins and voussoirs on plain internal abutments; probably with plinth, but lower parts concealed by raised ground level. Heavy square-edged weathered parapet, which is set at incline following road slope, with a change in the angle of incline above the arch centre; length c 15m. The earliest of three bridges in alignment over the former tramway. Dated 1875 on the road side of the N parapet. Of interest as it is a reminder of the C19 industrial activity in the quarries on the island, when rail and tramways were an important aspect of the transport system.

Jackson, B L, 1999, Isle of Portland Railways, vol. 1. The Admiralty and Quarry Railways, 30(2) & 32 (Monograph). SDO10248.

<1> Peter Stanier, 2006, Field observation, 15 March (Verbal communication). SDO10251.

<2> Morris, S, 1990, Portland Camera, plate 93 (Monograph). SDO10273.

<4> English Heritage, Images of England, No.382047 (Digital archive). SDO10300.

Record last edited

Aug 31 2007 3:54AM