Wharfe Bridge

Wharfe Bridge is a disused railway viaduct built in 1847 for the York and North Midland Railway Company. The structure is made of coursed squared magnesian limestone with ashlar gritstone dressings. It features five round arches on each bank of the River Wharf, which are connected by two later-added fabricated steel plate girders set on a mid-stream pier. The arches on each embankment spring from piers that have ashlar cutwaters and rock-faced voussoirs beneath a nosed ashlar band, although the parapet walls have mostly been removed. Each river bank has a larger pier with a domed cutwater, and on the river-facing sides, there are seatings that likely supported arch braces for an original cast-iron bridge structure; the nosed bands return at these points. The central pier is similar to those on each bank. This bridge was originally part of the Church Fenton to Spofforth line, which opened in 1847 and was linked to Harrogate the following year. At this location, the River Wharfe serves as the county boundary, with West Yorkshire on the north bank.