It is the point at which the Kennet and Avon canal crosses the river and railway line via the Avoncliff Aqueduct, which was built by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas, between 1797 and 1801. The aqueduct consists of three arches and is 110 yards long with a central elliptical arch of 60 ft (18.3 m) span with two side arches each semicircular and 34 ft (10.4 m) across, all with V-jointed arch stones. The spandrel and wing walls are built in alternate courses of ashlar masonry, and rock-faced blocks.[1] The central span sagged soon after it was built and has been repaired many times.[2]
There is a picturesque weir on the River Avon where permission for a micro hydro electric scheme was applied for from the Environment Agency in 2009, but this is still awaited in 2013.[citation needed] This is a popular starting point for walks along both the canal and the river, and also to Barton Farm Country Park at Bradford-on-Avon. Avoncliff is covered by two Parish Councils; Winsley[3] on the north side of the river and Westwood[4] on the south side.
The Cross Guns
The Cross Guns Inn was built in the late 17th century and is a Grade II listed building.[5]
Avoncliff has a tiny railway station, with a one-carriage-length platform in each direction, which used to be called Avoncliff Halt since it was a request stop, requiring people on the platform to wave down the trains. It has become, as of 2011, a regular stop. Services are hourly, run by Great Western Railway, and generally continue on to Westbury and Weymouth in a southerly direction, or Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester in a northerly direction.[6]
Referencesedit
^. Avoncliff. Archived from the original on 10 February 2007. Retrieved 10 September 2006.
^National Rail Enquiries – Station Facilities for Avoncliff
Avoncliff – the Secret History of an Industrial Hamlet in War and Peace, McCamley, Ex-Libris Press 2004
External linksedit
Media related to Avoncliff at Wikimedia Commons
Avoncliff website
January 01, 1970
avoncliff, small, village, west, wiltshire, england, north, westwood, parish, about, miles, southwest, bradford, avon, canal, aqueductlocation, within, wiltshireos, grid, referencest804600civil, parishwestwoodunitary, authoritywiltshireceremonial, countywiltsh. Avoncliff is a small village in west Wiltshire England in the north of Westwood parish about 1 5 miles 2 4 km southwest of Bradford on Avon AvoncliffCanal aqueductAvoncliffLocation within WiltshireOS grid referenceST804600Civil parishWestwoodUnitary authorityWiltshireCeremonial countyWiltshireRegionSouth WestCountryEnglandSovereign stateUnited KingdomPost townBRADFORD ON AVONPostcode districtBA15Dialling code01225UK ParliamentChippenhamList of places UK England Wiltshire 51 20 18 N 2 16 56 W 51 3383 N 2 2822 W 51 3383 2 2822 It is the point at which the Kennet and Avon canal crosses the river and railway line via the Avoncliff Aqueduct which was built by John Rennie and chief engineer John Thomas between 1797 and 1801 The aqueduct consists of three arches and is 110 yards long with a central elliptical arch of 60 ft 18 3 m span with two side arches each semicircular and 34 ft 10 4 m across all with V jointed arch stones The spandrel and wing walls are built in alternate courses of ashlar masonry and rock faced blocks 1 The central span sagged soon after it was built and has been repaired many times 2 There is a picturesque weir on the River Avon where permission for a micro hydro electric scheme was applied for from the Environment Agency in 2009 but this is still awaited in 2013 citation needed This is a popular starting point for walks along both the canal and the river and also to Barton Farm Country Park at Bradford on Avon Avoncliff is covered by two Parish Councils Winsley 3 on the north side of the river and Westwood 4 on the south side The Cross Guns The Cross Guns Inn was built in the late 17th century and is a Grade II listed building 5 Railway editMain article Avoncliff railway station Avoncliff has a tiny railway station with a one carriage length platform in each direction which used to be called Avoncliff Halt since it was a request stop requiring people on the platform to wave down the trains It has become as of 2011 a regular stop Services are hourly run by Great Western Railway and generally continue on to Westbury and Weymouth in a southerly direction or Bristol Temple Meads and Gloucester in a northerly direction 6 References edit Avoncliff Aqueduct Avoncliff Archived from the original on 10 February 2007 Retrieved 10 September 2006 Allsop Niall 1987 The Kennet amp Avon Canal Bath Millstream Book ISBN 0 948975 15 6 Winsley Parish Council Westwood Parish Council Historic England The Cross Guns Inn 1021877 National Heritage List for England Retrieved 26 April 2023 National Rail Enquiries Station Facilities for Avoncliff Avoncliff the Secret History of an Industrial Hamlet in War and Peace McCamley Ex Libris Press 2004External links edit nbsp Media related to Avoncliff at Wikimedia Commons Avoncliff website Ordnance Survey map of Avoncliff circa 1900 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Avoncliff amp oldid 1151840004, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
