The Subway

The Subway is a bridge located under the main road in Gayhurst, built before 1793 as part of "Sir Everard Digby's Walk," designed by Humphry Repton for George Wright. The west front is in a "gothick" style, constructed of ashlar stone, featuring three bays with plain pilasters on the outer sides. The central bay is flanked by buttresses that have niches and crocketted finials. In the outer bays, a moulded string course aligns with the tops of the niches, and below are four-centred arched recesses with hoodmoulds and carved head stops, although the left-hand arch has largely been removed. The central section includes a moulded archway with a similar hoodmould leading to the passage, which is adorned above with a coat of arms flanked by cornucopias. The passage beneath the road is brick vaulted and has a slight bend. The east arch is plain and retains its original iron gate. A stream flows in a cobbled stone channel that disappears under the subway.