The Barrowden walk in pictures: June 2022

Photographs from Jackie Markley, commentary Tony Attwood

If ever there was a walk that showed the contrasts of the countryside around us surely it is this one.  Described on one website as “the land where time has stood still” the Barrowden viaduct (designed by William Henry Barlow) had work commenced in 1876.

The work was completed in 1878 but the line didn’t open until March 1880.

The line crossed the valley of the River Welland and is 1,275 yards (1.166 km) long.

Overall it has 82 arches, each with a 40 feet (12 m) span.

As such it is the longest masonry viaduct across a valley in the United Kingdom.

It was built by the contractor Lucas and Aird, a total of 30 million bricks were used in the viaduct’s construction.   It is now a grade II listed building.