Telford & Wrekin Council today released astonishing pictures showing the scale of the underground culvert that has resulted in a road collapsing in the village of Church Aston.
The council’s engineers are currently carrying out extensive investigations to work out the best solution to repair the culvert and re-open the road.
A well type structure has been uncovered under the road which sits on top of an old brick built culvert which in turn connects to a sandstone tunnel.
The brick built section is believed to be a later repair to the original sandstone tunnel. The tunnel is believed to have been commissioned by the Duke of Sutherland in either the 1820s or 1830s.
It is thought to have been used to supply water to Longford Pools for use in large scale farming activities as a direct result of the draining of Kynnersley marshes.
The complex nature of these works mean that it is expected that the road will remain closed until late November to allow works to be carried out to repair the culvert and reinstate the highway.
