Summary

Pulborough Bridge, 44m south-west of Kingfishers.

Source: Historic England

Details

This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 30th 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 late 18th century multi-span bridge situated over the River Arun at Pulborough. It is also known as Old Swan Bridge.

The bridge is constructed of ashlar in the medieval tradition with four semi-circular arches. There are blunt cutwaters between the arches on each side carried up above the water level to form buttresses. The parapet has rounded coping. The southernmost arch was added in 1834. The bridge was restored in 1899.

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 restoration work in the past, Pulborough Bridge survives in good condition with some fine masonry.

Source: Historic England

Sources

Other
West Sussex HER 2341 - MWS3357. NMR TQ01NW36. PastScape 393051. LBS 298375.

Source: Historic England