Railway Bridge No 618

Railway Bridge No 618 is a railway viaduct and screen wall built around 1880 as part of the Maidstone and Ashford Railway. The screen wall was specifically constructed to prevent sparks and soot from the railway engines from drifting onto the handmade paper drying in the nearby louvred drying lofts at Turkey Mill. The bridge is made of red brick in English bond and features a series of round-headed arches. Above these arches, the screen wall has large recessed panels with pierced circular holes on the north side, creating a decorative effect, while the south side has plain walls where it abutted Turkey Mill. This structure holds social historical significance as it was designed to address the concerns of local landowners, including the Earl of Romney and James Whatman, MP for Maidstone and owner of Turkey Mill, as noted in the Maidstone and Ashford Railway Act of 1880.