LOCATED at Beverley Meadow, Canterbury.

The Beverley Farm Footpath Arch was built between 1825 and 1830 during the construction of the Canterbury to Whitstable Railway to provide safe access for cattle and pedestrians from the Beverley Dairy Farm underneath the actual railway line embankment which passed through the Beverley Dairy Farm.  The black and white  Beverley Farm House still stands nearby today.

The Arch was initially known as Hanover Arch being close to Hanover Road now known as Roper Road.

The Arch was intact with portals until the early 1970′s when the embankment was re-graded on the western side to allow the parallel footpath to be widened.  The embankment towards the West Station was removed when the Hanover Place housing development was built in 1966.  The Arch was backfilled with rubble from the portals and remained in that state for many years!

The Crab & Winkle Line Trust had been concerned about the deteriorating state of the Arch which was owned by Canterbury City Council and in 2010 applied to English Heritage to give it consideration for listing.

On the 1st September that 2010, the Arch was given Grade 2 listing.

From that time, The Trust continued to press the City Council to ensure the future of the Arch and as the result of this, a joint partnership with the Council and The Trust was formed and on Monday 16th March 2015, a mechanical digger spent two days digging out earth, landscaping and removing all the rubble from inside and which was found to be in excellent condition as was the tarmac floor throughout. Canterbury City Council has commissioned metal gates for both ends of the Arch, one with an opening door and it’s hoped an information panel will be located close by.

John Burden in Beverly Arch taken by Terry Westgate