Barle Bridge

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Barle Bridge
Dulverton bridge.jpg
Barle Bridge at Dulverton
Coordinates 51°02′22″N3°33′11″W / 51.0394°N 3.5531°W / 51.0394; -3.5531 Coordinates: 51°02′22″N3°33′11″W / 51.0394°N 3.5531°W / 51.0394; -3.5531
CarriesB3222
Crosses River Barle
Locale Dulverton, Somerset, England
Heritage status Ancient monument
Characteristics
Design Arch bridge
MaterialStone
No. of spans5
History
Construction start Middle Ages

Barle Bridge is a five span stone arch bridge over the River Barle in Dulverton within the English county of Somerset, which is medieval in origin. It has been scheduled as an ancient monument and is a Grade II listed building. [1] [2]

Arch bridge bridge type characterized by its supporting arches

An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side. A viaduct may be made from a series of arches, although other more economical structures are typically used today.

River Barle river in the United Kingdom

The River Barle runs from the Chains on northern Exmoor, in Somerset, England to join the River Exe at Exebridge, Devon. The river and the Barle Valley are both designated as biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Dulverton town in West Somerset, United Kindom

Dulverton is a small town and civil parish in the heart of West Somerset, England, near the border with Devon. The town has a population of 1,408. The parish includes the hamlets of Battleton and Ashwick which is located approximately 3.5 miles (5.6 km) north west of Dulverton. To the west of the hamlet lies Ashwick House, built in the Edwardian style in 1901. Also nearby is the estate of Northmoor, formerly a seat of Sir Frederick Wills,1st Baronet of Northmoor, one of the four Wills Baronetcys, and the founders of the Imperial Tobacco Company. In 1929 Sir Frederick's son & heir, Sir Gilbert Wills, 2nd Baronet, was raised to the peerage as Baron Dulverton, whose principal seat was at Batsford Park, near Batsford, Gloucestershire.

Contents

History

The bridge was built in the Middle Ages at the site of an earlier ford. [3] [4]

Middle Ages Period of European history from the 5th to the 15th century

In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages lasted from the 5th to the 15th century. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire and merged into the Renaissance and the Age of Discovery. The Middle Ages is the middle period of the three traditional divisions of Western history: classical antiquity, the medieval period, and the modern period. The medieval period is itself subdivided into the Early, High, and Late Middle Ages.

It was repaired in 1624, [5] and subsequently widened in 1819 by John Stone. [6] It was further repaired in 1866 and in 1952–1953 after flood damage. [7]

The bridge is included in the Dulverton Conservation Area Appraisal. [8]

Architecture

The bridge which is built of local stone has five arches. [3]

The bridge has double rings on the downstream side and single rings on the upstream side. [6]

Related Research Articles

Exmoor area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England

Exmoor is loosely defined as an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England. It is named after the River Exe, the source of which is situated in the centre of the area, two miles north-west of Simonsbath. Exmoor is more precisely defined as the area of the former ancient royal hunting forest, also called Exmoor, which was officially surveyed 1815–1818 as 18,810 acres (7,610 ha) in extent. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and 55 km (34 mi) of the Bristol Channel coast. The total area of the Exmoor National Park is 692.8 km2 (267.5 sq mi), of which 71% is in Somerset and 29% in Devon.

Brompton Regis village and civil parish in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England

Brompton Regis is a village and civil parish in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England about 5 miles (8.0 km) north-east of Dulverton. It is situated on the River Pulham in the Brendon Hills within the Exmoor National Park, close to Wimbleball Lake, a water supply reservoir constructed in the 1970s and completed in 1979. According to the 2011 census the village had a population of 449. The parish boundary is marked by the River Exe which is crossed by the medieval Chilly Bridge and Hele Bridge. The Haddeo is crossed by Bury Bridge.

Brushford, Somerset village and civil parish in Somerset, UK

Brushford is a village and civil parish 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Dulverton and 12 miles (19 km) north of Tiverton in Devon, in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 535 in 243 households, reducing to 519 at the 2011 Census. It covers an area of 1,149 hectares (11 km2) of which 3 hectares (0.030 km2) is within the Exmoor National Park.

Allerford village in United Kingdom

Allerford is a village in the county of Somerset, England, located within Exmoor National Park, and is part of the parish of Selworthy in the district of Somerset West and Taunton. It appears in Domesday Book as “Alresford – forda Ralph de Limesy Mill”.

Withypool village in the United Kingdom

Withypool is a small village in Somerset, England, near the centre of Exmoor National Park and close to the border with Devon. The word Withy means "willow". The civil parish, known as Withypool and Hawkridge, covers 3,097 hectares, includes the village of Hawkridge and has a population around 201.

Tarr Steps Grade I listed ancient trackway in West Somerset, United Kingdom

The Tarr Steps is a clapper bridge across the River Barle in the Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. They are located in a national nature reserve about 2.5 miles (4 km) south east of Withypool and 4 miles (6 km) north west of Dulverton.

Dunster Working Watermill

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Exford, Somerset

Exford is a rural village at the centre of Exmoor National Park, 7 miles (11 km) north-west of Dulverton, and 10 miles (16 km) south-west of Minehead, in Somerset, England. Less than a mile away is the hamlet of Lyncombe.

Oare, Somerset civil parish in Somerset, UK

Oare is a village and civil parish on Oare Water on Exmoor in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlet of Oareford and the village of Culbone which contains its own tiny church.

Simonsbath a village located in Exmoor, United Kingdom

Simonsbath is a small village high on Exmoor in the English county of Somerset. It is the principal settlement in the Exmoor civil parish, which is the largest and most sparsely populated civil parish on Exmoor, covering nearly 32 square miles (83 km2) but with a population, at the time of the 2001 census, of 203 in 78 households, reducing to 156 at the 2011 Census. The River Exe rises from a valley to the north, and the River Barle runs through the village and is crossed by a triple-arched medieval bridge that was extensively repaired after floods in 1952.

Chains (geological site)

The Chains is the name given to the north-west plateau of Exmoor, Somerset, England. This plateau lies above the 1,500 feet (457 m) contour line, and includes the source of the River Barle.

Exton, Somerset village and civil parish in Somerset, UK

Exton is a village and civil parish 5 miles (8 km) north-east of Dulverton and 9 miles (14 km) south-west of Dunster in Somerset, England. It lies on the River Exe on Exmoor. The parish includes the village of Bridgetown and covers 2,017 ha, all of which is within the National Park.

Mounsey Castle hillfort in Somerset

Mounsey Castle is an Iron Age irregular triangular earthwork of 1.75 hectares north west of Dulverton, Somerset, England. It has been scheduled as an ancient monument. It has been added to the Heritage at Risk register.

Scheduled monuments in West Somerset Wikimedia list article

West Somerset is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The council covers a largely rural area, with a population of 35,075 in an area of 740 square kilometres (290 sq mi). According to figures released by the Office for National Statistics in 2009, the population of West Somerset has the oldest average age in the United Kingdom at 52. The largest centres of population are the coastal towns of Minehead and Watchet (4,400).

Landacre Bridge bridge in United Kingdom

Landacre Bridge carries Landacre Lane across the River Barle near Withypool on Exmoor in the English county of Somerset. It has been scheduled as an ancient monument and Grade II* listed building.

Bury Bridge bridge in United Kingdom

Bury Bridge at Bury in the parish of Brompton Regis within the English county of Somerset is a medieval packhorse bridge. It has been scheduled as an ancient monument and Grade II* listed building.

Church of All Saints, Dulverton church in West Somerset, United Kingdom

The Anglican Church of All Saints in Dulverton, Somerset, England was built in the 15th century and largely rebuilt in the 1850s. It is a Grade II* listed building.

Withypool Bridge bridge in United Kingdom

Withypool Bridge carries a small road over the River Barle at Withypool in Somerset, England. It is a Grade II* listed building.

References

  1. ↑ Historic England. "Barle Bridge (1006179)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  2. ↑ Historic England. "Barle Bridge at NGR SS 9120 2782 (1247899)". National Heritage List for England . Retrieved 4 April 2015.
  3. 1 2 "MSO9331 - Barle Bridge, Dulverton". Exmoor Historic Environment Record. Exmoor National Park. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Gathercole, Clare. "English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey An archaeological assessment of Dulverton" (PDF). Somerset County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  5. ↑ "Barle Bridge". Pastscape. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
  6. 1 2 Otter, R.A. (1994). Civil Engineering Heritage: Southern England. London: Thomas Telford Ltd. p. 91. ISBN   978-0-7277-1971-3.
  7. ↑ "Barle Bridge at NGR SS 9120 2782". historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
  8. ↑ Fisher, John. "Dulverton Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). Exmoor National Park. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 4 March 2015.
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