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Corby Bridge, Wetheral
Corby Bridge
Wetheral Viaduct
site name:-   Newcastle and Carlisle Railway
site name:-   Eden, River
locality:-   Wetheral
civil parish:-   Wetheral (formerly Cumberland)
county:-   Cumbria
locality type:-   railway viaduct
locality type:-   footbridge
coordinates:-   NY46865466
1Km square:-   NY4654
10Km square:-   NY45

photograph
BQF54.jpg (taken 11.3.2009)  
photograph
BQF53.jpg (taken 11.3.2009)  
Built by Francis Giles, civil engineer, 1834. 660 feet long, 100 feet high. The bridge incorporates a footbridge which had a toll of a halfpenny, later a penny, till 1956.
evidence:-   old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 24 6) 
placename:-  Corby Bridge
source data:-   Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25 inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton, Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948.
evidence:-   old text:- Wordsworth 1810
source data:-   Guide book, A Description of the Scenery of the Lakes, later A Guide through the District of The Lakes, by William Wordsworth, 1810-35.
image WW01pr05, button  goto source
page v  "... It is worth while to mention, ... that the banks of the river Eden, about Corby, are well worthy of notice, both on account of their natural beauty, and the viaducts which have recently been carried over the bed of the river, and over a neighbouring ravine."
evidence:-   old text:- Gents Mag
source data:-   Magazine, The Gentleman's Magazine or Monthly Intelligencer or Historical Chronicle, published by Edward Cave under the pseudonym Sylvanus Urban, and by other publishers, London, monthly from 1731 to 1922.
image G830A359, button  goto source
Gentleman's Magazine 1830 part 1 p.359  "DOMESTIC OCCURENCES."
"... ..."
"The Newcastle and Carlisle Railway has commenced by the laying of the first stone of the intended bridge from Wetheral to Corby, across the river Eden, near to Corby Castle. The edifice when completed will be a most stupendous piece of workmanship. It will consist of five arches; and the viaduct or carriage road will be no less than 95 feet above the bed of the Eden. About a fifth part of the quantity of stone used in Waterloo Bridge, will be required for this."
evidence:-   descriptive text:- Ford 1839 (3rd edn 1843) 
source data:-   Guide book, A Description of Scenery in the Lake District, by Rev William Ford, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, by W Edwards, 12 Ave Maria Lane, Charles Tilt, Fleet Street, William Smith, 113 Fleet Street, London, by Currie and Bowman, Newcastle, by Bancks and Co, Manchester, by Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, and by Sinclair, Dumfries, 1839.
image FD01P120, button  goto source
Page 120:-  "... the magnificent bridge for the Railway greatly enriches the prospect, extending from cliff to cliff; the river rolls away under five lofty arches, eighty feet in span, and ninety feet above its surface. ..."
evidence:-   database:- Listed Buildings 2010
placename:-  Corby Bridge
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"CORBY BRIDGE / / / WETHERAL / CARLISLE / CUMBRIA / I / 77758 / NY4686454660"
source data:-  
courtesy of English Heritage
"Corby Bridge, so named on O.S. maps, but locally known as Wetheral Viaduct. Begun 1830, completed 1834, by Francis Giles and built by William S. Denton for the Newcastle &Carlisle Railway Company. Entirely of red sandstone: facing stones from Newbiggin Quarry near Carlisle and rubble infill from Wetheral and Corby Beck Quarries. Cast iron footbridge with wooden plank walkway, added at parapet level to the north face in 1851: P. Tate engineer and C.D. Richardson, contractor. 2 piers in river bed and 2 on either bank, giving 5 semicircular arches of 27 metre spans, formed of large blocks of dressed stone with channelled joints and voussoirs: parapet of 1 1/2 metres height, giving a total height from the summer level of the river of 33 metres: width to give double track and a total length of 280 metres. A major and early railway viaduct, forming an important landscape feature in an area of outstanding natural beauty. Includes a footbridge with cast inscribed plate at the east end: foundation stones built into either side of the parapet at the west end and centrally placed stone inscribed with the engineer and builder: N.E.R. gas lamp bracket at west end (lamp missing) and central bracket (lamp missing) to light footbridge: also railings on parapet of south side."
evidence:-   old print:- 
item:-  fishing
source data:-   Print, Wetheral Bridge, Corby Bridge, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Wetheral, Cumberland, by J W Carmichael, 1837.
image  click to enlarge
PR1066.jpg
In a scrapbook album. 
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1970.80.1.63
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old print:- 
item:-  harvest
source data:-   Print, Corby Viaduct, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Wetheral, Cumberland, by J W Carmichael, 1837.
image  click to enlarge
PR1068.jpg
In a scrapbook album. 
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1970.80.1.65
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old print:- 
source data:-   Print, Corby Viaduct, built for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway 1834, by George Larmer, Carlisle, Cumberland.
image  click to enlarge
PR1057.jpg
In a scrapbook album. 
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1970.80.1.12
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old painting:- 
source data:-   Painting, watercolour, Wetheral Viaduct from Wetheral Mill, Corby Bridge on the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Wetheral, Cumberland, by Matthew Ellis Nutter, about 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR0890.jpg
The composition is dominated by the viaduct which towers above the scene; to right of foreground a man leads a horse along the wide path running alongside the river Eden; two children playing at the water's edge watch him as he approaches. A wooded hillside descends to the water's edge on the far bank of the river. 
inscription on reverse (now covered by backboard) reads The Viaduct at Corby for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway 
inscribed at reverse:-  "The Viaduct at Corby for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railroad"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1927.8.1
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old drawing:- 
placename:-  Wetheral Bridge
source data:-   Drawing, Wetheral Bridge Looking South, River Eden, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Corby Bridge, Wetheral, Cumberland, by John Wilson Carmichael, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR1006.jpg
Summertime; view of viaduct seen from the right hand bank of the River Eden. A small wooden building stands beside the water. Wooded banks rise on either side. 
Carmichael executed 22 pencil drawings of the construction of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at the suggestion of the Rail Company. 
numbered & inscribed & initialled &dated at bottom left:-  "No 7 Wetheral Bridge looking South River Eden JWC 1835"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1968.16.7
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old drawing:- 
placename:-  Wetheral Bridge
source data:-   Drawing, Wetheral Bridge Looking North, River Eden, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Corby Bridge, Wetheral, Cumberland, by John Wilson Carmichael, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR1007.jpg
Summertime; view of viaduct seen from the River Eden. Wooded banks rise on either side. 
Carmichael executed 22 pencil drawings of the construction of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at the suggestion of the Rail Company. 
numbered & inscribed & initialled &dated at bottom left:-  "No 8 Wetheral Bridge looking North River Eden JWC 1835"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1968.16.8
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old drawing:- 
placename:-  Wetheral Bridge
source data:-   Drawing, Wetheral Bridge Looking South West, River Eden, Newcatsle and Carlisle Railway, Corby Bridge, Wetheral, Cumberland, by John Wilson Carmichael, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR1008.jpg
Summertime; view of viaduct seen from the left hand bank of the River Eden. A whitewashed house nestles beneath the first arch. Wetheral village and church lie in the distance. 
Carmichael executed 22 pencil drawings of the construction of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at the suggestion of the Rail Company. 
numbered & initialled & dated &inscribed at bottom left:-  "No 9. JWC 1835 Wetheral Bridge looking S W River Eden"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1968.16.9
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old drawing:- 
placename:-  Wetheral Bridge
source data:-   Drawing, Wetheral Bridge Across the River Eden, Newcastle and Carlisle Railway, Corby Bridge, Wetheral, Cumberland, by John Wilson Carmichael, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR1009.jpg
Summertime; view of viaduct seen from the right hand bank of the River Eden. A whitewashed house nestles amongst the trees on the riverbank; a distant figure approaches along its path. To right of foreground stands a gardener? his lunch laid on the ground nearby, working with an implement beside the water's edge. Swallows skim the surfce of the water. 
Carmichael executed 22 pencil drawings of the construction of the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway at the suggestion of the Rail Company. 
inscribed & initialled & dated &numbered at bottom right:-  "Wetheral Bridge across the River Eden JWC 1835 No 10"
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1968.16.10
Image © Tullie House Museum
evidence:-   old print:- 
source data:-   Print, The Viaduct over the River Eden at Wetheral, Corby Bridge, Wetheral, Cumberland, drawn by by Matthew Ellis Nutter, engraved by Andrew Picken, published by Charles Thurnam, Carlisle, Cumberland, 1835.
image  click to enlarge
PR1033.jpg
To right of foreground a farmhand wearing a smock drives cattle and sheep along the wide path running alongside the river Eden. Behind him a man loads a cart with sacks from a small mill in middle distance. Wetheral Viaduct runs horizontally across centre of composition, a train crossing it from left to right. A wooded hillside descends to the water's edge on the far bank of the river. 
inscribed at bottom left on print:-  "Drawn from Nature by M.E. Nutter."
printed at bottom centre:-  "THE VIADUCT OVER THE RIVER EDEN AT WETHERAL. Designed by Mr Francis Giles, Civil Engineer, and Built by Mr W.S. Denton, for the Newcastle and Carlisle Railway Company Length 60.0 feet, Height 100 feet. - Finished in the Year 1835. Carlisle, Published by Charles Thurnam, 1835. Printed by Day and Haghe, London."
inscribed at bottom right on print:-  "On Zinc by A. Picken."
item:-  Tullie House Museum : 1970.33.14
Image © Tullie House Museum

photograph
BMN51.jpg (taken 19.8.2006)  
photograph
BMN52.jpg  Inscription, SW parapet end:-
"IN TESTIMONY / OF RESPECT FOR THEIR LATE COLLEAGUE / HENRY HOWARD OF CORBY ESQR. / WHO ON THE XXV MARCH MDCCCXXX / LAID THE FOUNDATION STONE OF THIS BRIDGE / THE DIRECTORS OF THE RAILWAY" (taken 19.8.2006)  
photograph
BMN53.jpg  Inscription, NW parapet end; the same in Latin?
(taken 19.8.2006)  
photograph
BMN54.jpg (taken 19.8.2006)  
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