Dene Beck Culvert

Culvert beneath a railway embankment, by George Stephenson for the Stockton & Darlington Railway, 1825.

MATERIALS: coursed and ashlar sandstone.

DESCRIPTION: the portal to the culvert on the western side of the embankment is detailed in a similar way to that of an accommodation bridge in miniature. The arch is semi-circular, around 2m high, constructed with ashlar voussoirs; the spandrels and flanking terminal piers being of coursed dressed stone. Above, there is a horizontal ashlar stringcourse marking the base of the parapet, which is also of finely dressed ashlar stonework. One of the square terminal piers retains a moulded cap. Extending from the piers flanking the arch are short wing walls built of coursed stone with ashlar coping.

The eastern portal is more plainly treated, lacking a parapet. The culvert tunnel is not straight, but bends slightly southwards at its eastern end.