Retaining Wall Of Canal Above Railway To East Of Bridge

The retaining wall of the canal above the railway, located to the east of the bridge on Beckford Road, was built around 1840 by Isambard Kingdom Brunel. It is situated to the north of the railway bridge between the Kennet and Avon Canal and the railway. The wall is constructed of limestone ashlar, although the southern end has been extensively repaired with dark engineering brick. This southern section varies in height and structure, rising to approximately 8 meters, and features a battered curve supported by shallow buttresses beneath a cornice and parapet. As the wall curves to the northwest, it transitions to brick, while the most northern part is entirely made of ashlar. This well-crafted section of masonry reflects the efforts made by the Great Western Railway to integrate the existing canal as it approached Bath, with the railway officially opening in June 1841.