Railway Viaduct

The Railway Viaduct in Chippenham was opened in 1841 and is mainly attributed to the engineer Isambard Kingdom Brunel, although it has been widened at a later date. The north side of the viaduct is constructed of limestone ashlar, while the south side features English-bond brick. Both facades include a stepped ashlar cornice and parapet, as well as piers with vermiculated rustication at the plinth. The original structure has three semicircular-arched openings; the north facade showcases a tall central road arch with a keystone that reaches up to the parapet, flanked by two lower, narrower arches for foot traffic.

To the east, a thick coped retaining wall rises from a square pier at street level to meet a curved pier at the cornice. A similar curved pier is located at the west end, connecting to a later brick arcade that consists of five full-height arches, with an additional lower arch to the west, totaling nine arches overall. The south side, while similar, is more plain in design. The eastern pier curves forward to meet another retaining wall for the embankment. The arches on the west side enclose large vaulted spaces, with two featuring rows of harnessing rings on each side, and one having an axial division made of rubblestone.

Historically, a lithograph from 1842 depicts the north facade with a classical cornice, which may have been altered since then. This viaduct is recognized as one of the significant monuments along Brunel's main line of the Great Western Railway.