Arten Gill viaduct

About

Arten Gill Viaduct is an eleven-arch railway bridge in Dentdale, Cumbria, England. The viaduct carries the Settle to Carlisle railway line over Artengill Beck. The viaduct was originally designed to be further west, which is lower down the steep valley side, but by moving the line slightly eastwards, the viaduct could be installed at a higher location, thereby using fewer materials in its height. Arten Gill Viaduct is constructed partly from Dent Marble in the inside of the arches instead of the more usual brick. Dent Marble is a type of dark limestone which was quarried from Artengill beneath the viaduct itself. The viaduct is a grade II listed structure, and a scheduled monument.

History: Groundwork on site was started in May 1870, with work on the viaduct itself beginning a year later, on 3 May 1871. The parapets were completed in July 1875, with the date being set into the middle stone on each side of the parapet wall. Arten Gill Viaduct is 660 feet (200 m) long, and 117 feet (36 m) high, with the parapets being 1,100 feet (340 m) above sea level. The viaduct has 11 arches, each of which is 45 feet (14 m) across. Whilst it is largely constructed of sandstone, the inner arches...