The Grade II listed Baginton Bridge in Warwickshire is one of eight historic bridges set to be repaired.
Not all bridge repairs are the same, and one of the most unique recent examples of this is how a team of specialist heritage stonemasons are helping to replace a major piece of structural heritage near Coventry.
The Grade II listed Baginton Bridge in Warwickshire is one of eight historic bridges set to be repaired as part of Warwickshire County Council’s heritage repair programme, estimated to cost £6.3m in total.
The 18th-century sandstone bridge crosses the River Sowe and is an important part of the route between the A45 and Coventry Airport.
It was built using Warwick Sandstone, a strong construction material but one that is also highly vulnerable to erosion, which over the course of the past 200 years has weathered the three stone pillars the bridge relies on to the point that there is a risk of the bridge potentially collapsing or requiring a weight restriction.
This structural integrity was not helped by two collisions with the parapet walls of the bridge, one just before the start of the project and the other in November 2022. Both of these crashes caused significant delays and increased the need for these repairs considerably.
With the historical character of the bridge being so important for the community, Warwickshire Council has worked with a team of stonemasons skilled in using Warwick Sandstone to preserve the historic character of the bridge whilst ensuring it will endure for many years to come.
To this end, 60 of the 350 stone bricks being replaced are arch stones that bear the load on the bridge itself, requiring the use of heavy-duty props to ensure the bridge is still safe to use as the stones are replaced.
The east side repairs were completed first, with the west side repairs set to be completed at some point in early 2023, ensuring that the road can be fully reopened again.