As
Highgate
became increasingly popular during the eighteenth century, the steep
incline of the road up Highgate hill became an increasing public nuisance.
During the opening years of the nineteenth century an engineer called
Mr Robert Vazie proposed a public road to be cut through a tunnel through
the hill. Work commenced in 1809, but on the morning of 13th April 1812
the tunnel collapsed (fortunately in the early hours of the morning;
no one was injured). Subsequently the tunnel model was abandoned for
an open cut road and archway through the hill and it was opened for
passengers and carriages on 13th August 1813. While not much distance
was saved by taking the new road (less than one hundred yards) the incline
was considerably less, and progress along the northern road through
Highgate much convenienced.
The
archway pictured was thirty-six feet high and eighteen in width, wide
enough to allow two carriages to pass. It provided excellent views back
down to London.
