The River Pitt

The Somerset and Dorset Joint Railway was built in the 19th century with the section between Cole and Wincanton opening in February 1862. The construction of the railway required various alterations to the river including straightening and the construction of river crossing structures.

Heading South from Cole the first required the straightening of a 150 metre section of the river in the hamlet of Pitcombe this can be seen by comparing the two maps below:

The next was the construction of a 3 arch bridge to cross the river at Shepton. The construction was brick arches on masonry abutments and piers. Up side - abutments and piers faced with red bricks. ( SDJR Bridge No 126 ) See photograph below:

The next is a small stone arched culvert which enabled the stream carrying water from a spring near Eastfields farm to pass beneath the railway. The stream eventually joins the river Pitt. The culvert is located approximately 340 metres downline from Knowle Road Bridge ( SDJR Bridge no.127 ) and approximately 75 metres upline from Hanham's Cattle Creep (SDJR Bridge no.128 ).

The next is SDJR Bridge no.129,  a 4 foot Culvert. This is located approximately 320 metres downline from Hanams Cattle Creep. Construction is brick arch and invert. with masonry abutments. It was constructed to carry water from the Bratton stream and drainage ditches  beneath the railway on its journey to the river Pitt. The stream at this point originally formed the line of the parish boundary and by comparison as shown on the map below it is clear that the stream was diverted to run along the line of the embankment to avoid the construction of two crossings.

On the north side of the culvert the construction includes a weir.