Summary

Durford Bridge, 225m ENE of Durford Mill House.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 29 October 2014. The 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.

The monument includes a multi-span bridge built in about 1600, situated over the River Rother, west of Rogate.

The bridge is constructed of stone with four semi-circular ribbed arches. There are pointed cutwaters on both the downstream and upstream sides. The bridge was partly restored in 1924. It was strengthened with concrete under the arches during the Second World War and in the late 20th century.

It is Grade II listed.

Source: Historic England

Reasons for Scheduling

Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers. They were constructed for the use of pedestrians and packhorse or vehicular traffic, crossing rivers or streams, often replacing or supplementing earlier fords. Stone or brick bridges constructed from the medieval period onwards were built with pointed, semicircular or segmental arches.

The bridge abutments and revetting of the river banks also form part of the bridge. The theory and practice of masonry construction for bridges reached a high point in the 18th century. After this time increasing demand led to quicker builds with the adoption of iron bridges and later metal truss and suspension bridges.

Despite some restoration and repairs, Durford Bridge is a good example of a stone multi-span bridge, which survives in very good condition.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
West Sussex HER 297 - MWS1576. NMR SU 72 SE 14. PastScape 243039. LBS 411740

Source: Historic England