Beatties Bridge (SPC8 55)

Beatties Bridge is a single-span accommodation underbridge built between 1836 and 1840 for the North Midland Railway, designed by George and Robert Stephenson along with Frederick Swanwick.

The bridge is constructed from coursed and squared quarry-faced Derbyshire Gritstone with ashlar dressings that have tooled edges. The soffit of the arch is made of red brick. Both faces of the bridge are nearly identical, featuring a single semi-circular arch with rusticated, V-channelled voussoirs that spring from an impost band and include a projecting keystone. The spandrels are decorated with punched tooling in a herringbone pattern. Below the soffit and impost bands, the underside walls have a slight rake.

The arch is framed by gently curved projecting wing walls that have a concave rake, made from the same coursed and squared stone. These wing walls feature a projecting band of larger stones that forms a string course. Above the arch, a bold roll moulding runs across the face and continues to form the coping of the wing walls. The parapet consists of a single course of tooled ashlar, topped with 20th-century metal railings.