Swin Bridge

[3] It was built in 1830 for the Haggerleases branch of the Stockton and Darlington Railway, crossing the River Gaunless at Cockfield.

Most arch bridges are constructed at right-angles to the obstruction which they cross, this being the easiest and strongest mode of building.

A skew bridge raises the difficulty that the sideways forces in the arch are no longer acting at right-angles to their abutments.

If the skew is excessive, the force across the face of the abutment may be enough to make the bridge unstable and to slip or collapse sideways.

[4][note 1] The first contractors engaged to build the bridge were Thomas Worth and John Batie, the agreed price being £327.

After 3½ months, having laid the foundations,[10] they abandoned the work, over concerns about the stability of the skew arch.

[12] In typical S&DR style, the ends of the parapets sweep out to round scroll-like piers, capped with a low ogee-domed coping.