Summary

Multi-span bridge 220m north-west of The Hallows Nursery.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records. As such they do not yet have the full descriptions of their modernised counterparts available. Please contact us if you would like further information.

The monument includes a multi-span bridge spanning the River Rea, situated approximately 1.5km south west of the village of Stottesdon. The bridge is constructed from roughly coursed sandstone blocks and rubble, with two segmental arches with ashlar ribs and dressed stone voussoirs, stone work abutments on both banks, and a central cutwater constructed of dressed blocks and roughly coursed stone. The bridge is thought to be at least 17th century in date but may be earlier. The wooden railings above the ridge are excluded from the scheduling, but all the structure beneath and the ground beneath and surrounding the structure is included. The monument is also listed at Grade II.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers. They were constructed throughout the medieval period for the use of pedestrians and packhorse or vehicular traffic, crossing rivers or streams, often replacing or supplementing earlier fords. During the early medieval period timber was used, but from the 12th century stone (and later brick) bridges became more common, with the piers sometimes supported by a timber raft. Most stone or brick bridges were constructed with pointed arches, although semicircular and segmental examples are also known. A common medieval feature is the presence of stone ashlar ribs underneath the arch. The bridge abutments and revetting of the river banks also form part of the bridge. Where medieval bridges have been altered in later centuries, original features are sometimes concealed behind later stonework, including remains of earlier timber bridges. The roadway was often originally cobbled or gravelled. The building and maintenance of bridges was frequently carried out by the church and by guilds, although landowners were also required to maintain bridges. From the mid-13th century the right to collect tolls, known as pontage, was granted to many bridges, usually for repairs; for this purpose many urban bridges had houses or chapels on them, and some were fortified with a defensive gateway. Medieval multi-span bridges must have been numerous throughout England, but most have been rebuilt or replaced and less than 200 examples are now known to survive. As a rare monument type largely unaltered, surviving examples and examples that retain significant medieval and post-medieval fabric are considered to be of national importance.

The multi-span bridge 220m north-west of The Hallows Nursery survives well as a good example of a medieval or early post-medieval bridge construction which may retain earlier features behind the present structure or survive as archaeological deposits beneath.

Source: Historic England