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Stowell Park Suspension Bridge |
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Wilcot, Wiltshire KAC42.60 |
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KandAC mile 43
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Stowell Park Suspension Bridge is an private accommodation bridge over
the canal, serving Stowell Park on the north side, giving access to
Lower Bristow Copse on the south side of the canal.
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The bridge is an elegant web of iron; Dredge's Patent; 42 miles 60
chains from Reading. It was erected at the private expense of Colonel
Wroughton of Wilcot, 1845.
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headroom |
11ft6ins |
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depth of water |
5ft10ins |
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Stowell Park Suspension Bridge, from the west. The suspension is from
wrought iron chains not wire ropes.
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The lacy structure is lost in the enveloping larches.
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A cast iron suspension post.
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DREDGE PATENTEE / BATH
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James Dredge was an engineer in business in Devizes; the bridge was
made in Bath. All except one other of 50 bridges to his design have
all gone; the other is the Victoria Suspension Bridge in Bath, a
larger version of the design. The design has a 'taper principle' in
the arrangement of the wrought iron suspension bars. At the join of
each link in the suspension chain the long inclined links resist
twisting; the number of links reduces towards the centre.
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McQuillan, Don: 1994 (Feb): From Brewer to Bridge Builder; reflections
on the life and work of James Dredge: Proceedings of the Institution
of Civil Engineers: vol.102: pp.34-42
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Kennet and Avon Scrapbook 2000
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