Mile Lane Bridge
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1431090
- Date first listed:
- 21-Dec-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Mile Lane Bridge
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1431090
- Date first listed:
- 21-Dec-2015
- List Entry Name:
- Mile Lane Bridge
- Location Description:
- Located on Mile Lane, where it crosses the railway line.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Coventry (Metropolitan Authority)
- Parish:
- Non Civil Parish
- National Grid Reference:
- SP3380978030
Summary
A flying arch bridge over the London & Birmingham Railway of circa 1838.
Reasons for Designation
The Mile Lane Bridge of c.1838, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Date: it dates from the pioneering phase of railway development and survives substantially intact;
* Engineering interest: it is understood to be the first flying arch bridge across a railway in the country;
* Historic interest: it is associated with Robert Stephenson, one of the most important transport engineers of the C19.
History
The London and Birmingham Railway was established in the 1830s to build the railway line between London and Birmingham, with Robert Stephenson appointed as the company's chief engineer. This was to be the first main line railway between London and another major city. The first parts of the line were opened in 1837, with the remainder opening in 1838.
Much of the line was widened during the 1960s, but this work did not reach beyond Rugby. The bridge at Mile Lane is thought to date from the original construction of the railway, c.1838, and is thought to be one of the first flying arch structures built over a railway line.
Details
A flying arch bridge over the London and Birmingham Railway, of c.1838.
MATERIALS: The bridge is constructed mainly of stone with some brick.
PLAN: The bridge crosses the railway line in a roughly north-south orientation.
DESCRIPTION: The bridge crosses the railway over a deep cutting, and appears to be constructed using stone dug out from the cutting itself. It is a single arch with long and short voussoirs which is supported at either end by the sides of the cutting. The parapets are of stone with modern brick to their internal faces, and modern pointed cappings.
Sources
Books and journals
Roscoe, T, The London and Birmingham Railway, (1838)
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 08-Jun-2026 at 11:52:12.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.