Does anyone have any information about this railway esque bridge?

[AzureOtsu]

I was travelling up to Taunton the other week and drove through this very peculiar railway esque Bridge just north of tisbury, it was almost identical to the disused bridges on the old Shepton mallet line and when I took a look on railmaponline there seems to be 0 evidence a line was ever here! so I just wanted to know if anyone here knew what this was about.

Here are the photos:

 

[Freightmaster]

Here you go:

Tunnel to Hindon from Fonthill Park, Fonthill Gifford, Wiltshire

Tunnel to Hindon from Fonthill Park is a Grade II listed building in Fonthill Gifford, Wiltshire, England. See why it was listed, view it on a map, see visitor comments and photos and share your own comments and photos of this building.

britishlistedbuildings.co.uk

MARK

 

[AzureOtsu]

oh it's just a road tunnel, thank you anyways
thought it looked very railway esque

 

[Nottingham59]

thought it looked very railway esque

Remember that it was (probably) built in the late eighteenth century. So several decades before the coming of the railways. So it's a case of railway architecture copying the design of existing road tunnels.

 

[swt_passenger]

Remember that it was (probably) built in the late eighteenth century. So several decades before the coming of the railways. So it's a case of railway architecture copying the design of existing road tunnels.

There wouldn‘t have been so many, I suppose. I wonder if this road tunnel was a forerunner of the various railway tunnels built to remove the tracks from the view of the local landowner?

 

[snowball]

It was not unusual for landowners to build bridges over country lanes that crossed their land, so that they could wander their grounds without coming into contact with the peasantry.

 

[John Webb]

As a contrast here is a former railway tunnel, now a road (click on photo to go to the larger original):
Swainsley tunnel southern entrance portal

© Copyright Richard Law and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Built under a spur of land belonging to a Sir Thomas Wardale, around 1903 to carry the 2ft 6inch gauge Leek and Manifold Railway. Like the road tunnel above, this one was built at the insistence of Sir Thomas, despite being a supporter and Director of the line.
The line closed in 1934, by which time it was in the care of the LMS following the Grouping. The LMS actually handed over the track bed to the County Council for public use. Much of it is foot and cycleway, but about a mile and a half was converted into a minor road from Wetton Mill northwards.

 

[Gloster]

The oldest road tunnel in Britain that is still in use is reportedly the one just north of Beaminster in Dorset, which was built at the beginning of the 1830s. It was reopened in 2013 after partially collapsing on top of a car the previous year, killing the two occupants.

 

[swt_passenger]

The oldest road tunnel in Britain that is still in use is reportedly the one just north of Beaminster in Dorset, which was built at the beginning of the 1830s. It was reopened in 2013 after partially collapsing on top of a car the previous year, killing the two occupants.

Is that “oldest” correct? The one that started this thread seems older according to its listing, (linked in the first reply), and it’s also still in use?

 

[Gloster]

Yes, Fonthill probably is older, although I can’t check if it is on a public road.

 

[swt_passenger]

Yes, Fonthill probably is older, although I can’t check if it is on a public road.

Seems fairly public on Google Streetview….

 

[John Webb]

Yes, Fonthill probably is older, although I can’t check if it is on a public road.

It is on a public road, according to OS maps, that links Hinton and Fonthill Gifford.

 

[stuu]

It doesn't seem to actually tunnel under anything though, it's more like a long bridge, probably as previously suggested so the local lord didn't have to see the local serfs. There's no way it was bored through the hill, so I'm not sure tunnel is the right word (I know that gets into a different argument)

 

[DelW]

The terrace above the "tunnel" is a landscape feature which also allowed horse riders a level riding route passing above the road. It was probably provided for and used by guests visiting Fonthill in its heyday.

The whole story of the rise and fall (or falls) of Fonthill Abbey is worth looking up, it was an amazing building and an amazing story.

 

[Isambard]

I was travelling up to Taunton the other week and drove through this very peculiar railway esque Bridge just north of tisbury, it was almost identical to the disused bridges on the old Shepton mallet line and when I took a look on railmaponline there seems to be 0 evidence a line was ever here! so I just wanted to know if anyone here knew what this was about.

Here are the photos:
View attachment 99094View attachment 99095View attachment 99093View attachment 99092

No railway connection. Part of the landscaping of the Fonthill Estate carried out by William Beckford c1795, including a six-mile wall.

 

[stuu]

The terrace above the "tunnel" is a landscape feature which also allowed horse riders a level riding route passing above the road. It was probably provided for and used by guests visiting Fonthill in its heyday.

The whole story of the rise and fall (or falls) of Fonthill Abbey is worth looking up, it was an amazing building and an amazing story.

Oh yes I have read about that. Agreed it is an amazing story