bridge

Single-arch humpback bridge, built c.1880, carrying road over Mountain Water River. Round arch with tooled limestone voussoirs, flanked by coursed squared limestone buttresses to each elevation. Coursed squared limestone blocks to spandrel and parapet walls, projecting plat-bands to base of parapets. Cement pointing to parapets. River bed underneath paved with setts.

Visible from a distance, this well-composed stone bridge makes a notable contribution to the landscape. The round arch flanked by projecting abutments creates a sense of symmetry which is articulated by tooled stone detailing to the voussoirs, demonstrating the craftsmanship and skill in stonework in the nineteenth century. It was built near an earlier crossing point. However the width of this arch is indicative of its later construction, as engineering knowledge grew in the later nineteenth century. That the bridge remains in use is testament to the quality of its construction.