CAN you guess where this week’s Mystery Photograph was taken?

Each week, the Journal invites readers to test their local knowledge by identifying a historic location from days gone by.

Last week's Mystery Photograph was taken at Pensford Viaduct.

Pensford Viaduct is a Grade II listed railway structure located in the village of Pensford in Somerset. Built in the 1870s to carry the Bristol and North Somerset Railway over the River Chew, the viaduct spans approximately 995 feet and stands up to 95 feet high, with sixteen arches supported by a combination of slender and wider piers. Although the line served both passenger and freight traffic, passenger services ceased in 1959 and goods services ended in 1964.

The viaduct sustained significant damage during the 1968 Chew Valley flood, leading to its closure and eventual disuse. Now managed by the Historical Railways Estate, the structure has undergone restoration work in recent years to preserve its condition.

Despite being offered for sale for just £1 in 1984, the viaduct’s maintenance liabilities discouraged any buyer. Ownership eventually transferred through BRB (Residuary) Ltd to the Highways Agency's Historical Railways Estate, which now manages the structure as a preserved heritage asset.

Restoration and conservation work began in the early 2000s, focusing on improving drainage and repairing piers, drains, and arches. More recently, between 2022 and late 2023, ecology surveys preceded a major £300,000 repointing project using traditional lime mortar and specialist track-mounted scaffolding to protect the listed structure’s historic character.

While the structure itself is not open to the public, it remains an enduring and prominent landmark in the Chew Valley, celebrated both for its Victorian engineering and local historical significance.

• The Mystery Photo published on July 16 was incorrectly identified as Oakhill. The image actually depicts High Littleton. The Journal is happy to set the record straight and we thank those who pointed it out.