Walls of Railway Cutting extending from approximately 35 yards north of Long Row to Field Lane Bridge and from approximately 45 yards north of King Street to New Road Bridge

Masonry retaining walls lining a railway cutting, constructed for the North Midlands Railway Company between1837-1840, with late-C20 minor alterations.

ARCHITECT: an indenture of the 5th of December 1837 refers to ' specification and drawings or plan which have been prepared by, or under the direction of supervision of George Stephenson and Frederick Swanwick, the principal and resident engineers appointed by the said Company' ( the North Midland Railway Company).

MATERIALS: ashlar and regularly- coursed squared rock-faced Derbyshire gritstone.

PLAN: the cutting walls are of concave section and linear in form. They were constructed in two parts, the northern part extending from approximately 55 yards to the north of the Long Row bridge to Field Lane, and the southern part extending from 45 yards north of King Street to the bridge carrying New Road.

DESCRIPTION: the cutting walls are of uniform curvature throughout their length, and rise from two deep projecting stone plinth courses. At regular intervals there are broad projecting pilasters which rise up to a deep roll moulding carried through from the adjacent walling and bridges, which would appear to form a single design concept. Above the moulding, are parapet walls formed of five courses of channelled masonry blocks. The walls are capped with deep saddleback stone copings, which, like the roll moulding, are carried through onto the bridges which span the cutting.