Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Porthkerry Railway Viaduct (partly in the Rhoose community)
Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- Transport
- Date of designation
- 28 January 1963
- Locality
- Porthkerry
- Town
- Barry
- Community
- Barry
- Unitary authority
- Vale of Glamorgan
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 51.39328, -3.31811
- Cadw reference
- 83158
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Cornubia : Devonia, Somersetus, Dorcestria, Wiltonia, Glocestria ..." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
Cadw's description
Location
To the north of the main carpark in Porthkerry Country Park and crossing into Barry Community.
History
Built 1894-1900. First opened in 1897 as a part of the Vale of Glamorgan Railway from Barry to Bridgend, engineer J W Szlumper (with Charles Szlumper and William Szlumper). First completed in 1896 but parts of the viaduct subsided 10th January 1898, and the railway had to be diverted via a loop-line until 1900. This was one of the last major masonry viaducts completed in Britain. The Vale of Glamorgan became a part of the Great Western Railway at Grouping in 1923.
Exterior
Coursed quarry faced grey stone with brick arch rings. Irregular spans to sixteen semi-circular arches; tall tapering stone piers, with plinths of varying height; brick arches, maximum height circa 30 metres; stone parapet with corbelled refuges over every second pier. The viaduct crosses the steep valley of the stream which forms the eastern boundary of Rhoose Community, and is partly in Barry Community.
Reason for designation
Included as one of the most impressive railway viaducts in South Wales.
Nearby in the register
- Porthkerry Railway Viaduct (partly in the Barry community)Transportunder 1 mi
- Outbuilding to north of Church FarmhouseDomesticunder 1 mi
- Church Farmhouse (aka Glebe Farm)Domesticunder 1 mi
- Church of St CurigReligious, Ritual and Funeraryunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.