Martholme Viaduct

Martholme Viaduct is a 19th-century railway viaduct in the English county of Lancashire. It lies between the town of Great Harwood and the village of Read, and lies in both the district of Hyndburn and that of Ribble Valley.[1] The viaduct was constructed 1870–77 by engineer Sturges Meek.[2] It was built to carry the Great Harwood Loop of the East Lancashire Line over the River Calder.[3] That part of the line closed in 1957.[2]

Martholme Viaduct
Coordinates	53.8004°N 2.3788°W / 53.8004; -2.3788
Characteristics
Material	Sandstone
Height	65 feet (20 m)
No. of spans	10
History
Engineering design by	Sturges Meek
Construction start	1870
Construction end	1877
Listed Building – Grade II
Designated	9 March 1984
Reference no.	1362005
Martholme Viaduct Location in Hyndburn Show map of the Borough of Hyndburn Martholme Viaduct Location in Ribble Valley Show map of the Borough of Ribble Valley

The viaduct was originally intended to be a wooden structure but was eventually built of sandstone rubble.[2] It has ten round arches, each 40 feet (12 m) wide. On a slight curve, the viaduct is 65 feet (20 m) high.[3] In 1984 it was designated a Grade II listed building by English Heritage.[2]

See also

• Listed buildings in Great Harwood
• Listed buildings in Read, Lancashire
• List of railway bridges and viaducts in the United Kingdom

References

Footnotes

1. Historic England. "Martholme Viaduct (That Part in the Civil Parish of Read) (1072078)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
2. Historic England. "Martholme Viaduct (1362005)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
3. Hartwell & Pevsner, p. 310

Bibliography

• Hartwell, Clare; Pevsner, Nikolaus (2009) [1969], Lancashire: North, New Haven and London: Yale University Press, ISBN 0-300-12667-0