The Old Bridge between Huntingdon and Godmanchester (now part of Cambridgeshire, England) is a well-preserved medieval stone bridge over the River Great Ouse.
The Old Bridge between Huntingdon and Godmanchester (now part of Cambridgeshire, England) is a well-preserved medieval stone bridge over the River Great Ouse.
The town has long been an important bridgehead, with Ermine Street (connecting London to Lincoln and York), as well as various east–west trade routes, crossing the Great Ouse here. Ermine Street would have first crossed the river here via a ford, believed to be some way to the west of the present bridge. [1] Edward the Elder built a wooden bridge in the early 10th century a few yards to the west of the current bridge, and also ordered the nearby Huntingdon Castle to be rebuilt. Until the 1107 construction of the first bridge in St Ives, it is believed that there was no bridge further downstream, and foreign trade would navigate the river as far upstream as Huntingdon. [1]
Responsibility for the bridge's repair was for centuries a matter of dispute. In 1259 a court ruling finally ordered that the county should pay to keep it repaired in return for rendering the bridge toll-free. Nonetheless, the bridge remained poorly maintained, and by 1329 was declared to be in severe danger of collapse. [1]
The current bridge was constructed around 1332, with work starting on both banks of the river. The slight kink near the central pier was a result of the lack of alignment of the two halves. [2] Consisting of six arches and faced with ashlar, the parapets which form recesses for pedestrians, are triangular on the north side, and semi-hexagonal on the south. [1]
It was intended for both pedestrian and horse-drawn transport (the bridge has recesses for people to stand to let the heavier traffic pass), but now serves exclusively for light vehicular traffic. Pedestrians use a parallel footbridge just metres upstream. Local heavy vehicles must use the A1307 with other traffic using the A14 viaduct via Brampton Hut interchange, or the A141. [3]
The bridge was Grade I listed as Huntingdon Bridge by Historic England Ref 1128636 in 1950 and is a Scheduled Ancient Monument [4] [5] The Nuns Bridge is a different Grade II Listed, originally a late medieval bridge 1.3km West. [6]
Cambridgeshire is a ceremonial county in the East of England and East Anglia. It is bordered by Lincolnshire to the north, Norfolk to the north-east, Suffolk to the east, Essex and Hertfordshire to the south, and Bedfordshire and Northamptonshire to the west.
St Ives is a medieval market town and civil parish in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England, 5 miles (8 km) east of Huntingdon and 12 miles (19 km) north-west of Cambridge. St Ives is historically in the historic county of Huntingdonshire.
The River Great Ouse is a river in England, the longest of several British rivers called "Ouse". From Syresham in Northamptonshire, the Great Ouse flows through Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Norfolk to drain into the Wash and the North Sea near Kings Lynn. Authorities disagree both on the river's source and its length with one quoting 160 mi (260 km) and another 143 mi (230 km). Mostly flowing north and east, it is the fifth longest river in the United Kingdom. The Great Ouse has been historically important for commercial navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows; its best-known tributary is the Cam, which runs through Cambridge. Its lower course passes through drained wetlands and fens and has been extensively modified, or channelised, to relieve flooding and provide a better route for barge traffic. The unmodified river would have changed course regularly after floods.
The River Cam is the main river flowing through Cambridge in eastern England. After leaving Cambridge, it flows north and east before joining the River Great Ouse to the south of Ely, at Pope's Corner. The total distance from Cambridge to the sea is about 40 mi (64 km) and is navigable for punts, small boats, and rowing craft. The Great Ouse also connects to England's canal system via the Middle Level Navigations and the River Nene. In total, the Cam runs for around 69 kilometres (43 mi) from its furthest source to its confluence with the Great Ouse.
The River Wissey is a river in Norfolk, eastern England. It rises near Bradenham, and flows for nearly 31 miles (50 km) to join the River Great Ouse at Fordham. The lower 11.2 miles (18.0 km) are navigable. The upper reaches are notable for a number of buildings of historic interest, which are close to the banks. The river passes through the parkland of the Arts and Crafts Pickenham Hall, and further downstream, flows through the Army's Stanford Training Area (STANTA), which was created in 1942 by evacuating six villages. The water provided power for at least two mills, at Hilborough and Northwold. At Whittington, the river becomes navigable, and is surrounded by fenland. A number of pumping stations pump water from drainage ditches into the higher river channel.
St Neots is a town in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about 50 miles (80 km) north of London and about 18 miles (29 km) west of Cambridge. The districts of Eynesbury, Eaton Ford and Eaton Socon were formerly independent but nowadays are considered merged into St Neots.
The River Ouse is a river in North Yorkshire, England. Hydrologically, the river is a continuation of the River Ure, and the combined length of the River Ure and River Ouse makes it, at 129 miles (208 km), the sixth-longest river of the United Kingdom and the longest to flow entirely in one county. The length of the Ouse alone is about 52 miles (84 km) but the total length of the river is disputed.
Huntingdon is a market town in the Huntingdonshire district in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was given its town charter by King John in 1205. It was the county town of the historic county of Huntingdonshire. Oliver Cromwell was born there in 1599 and became one of its Members of Parliament (MP) in 1628. The former Conservative Prime Minister (1990–1997) John Major served as its MP from 1979 until his retirement in 2001.
Godmanchester is a town and civil parish in the Huntingdonshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. It is separated from Huntingdon, 1.2 miles (1.9 km) to the north, by the valley of the River Great Ouse. Being on the Roman road network, the town has a long history. It has a waterside location, surrounded by open countryside of high value for its biodiversity but it remains highly accessible, with a railway line to London, the A1 road and M11/A14 which run nearby.
Eynesbury is an urban area forming part of St Neots, in the civil parish of St Neots, in the Huntingdonshire district, in the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It mainly consists of housing, although there is an area of light industry, and a large supermarket. Eynesbury is home to Ernulf Academy and a fitness centre called One Leisure. In addition there is a large area of open grassland and a caravan park. In earlier times Eynesbury was a distinct area, but nowadays it is considered to be a subdivision of St Neots.
Eaton Ford is an area of St Neots, Cambridgeshire, England. It is a mainly residential area also containing Riverside Park, a large area of riverside parkland. Much of the housing stock dates from the period of London overspill during the 1960s and subsequently. The former village green is still in place.
The A14 is a major trunk road in England, running 127 miles (204 km) from Catthorpe Interchange, a major intersection at the southern end of the M6 and junction 19 of the M1 in Leicestershire to the Port of Felixstowe, Suffolk. The road forms part of the unsigned Euroroutes E24 and E30. It is the busiest shipping lane in East Anglia carrying anything from cars to large amounts of cargo between the UK and Mainland Europe.
St Ives Bridge is a 15th-century bridge crossing the River Great Ouse in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, England. It is noted for being one of only four bridges in England to incorporate a chapel.
Godmanchester Chinese Bridge is a Grade II Listed building and landmark of the town of Godmanchester, Huntingdonshire. It is a pedestrian bridge that spans a mill stream on the River Great Ouse and is, as the name suggests, built in an ostensibly Chinese style. The original was constructed in 1827 to designs by the architect James Gallier, but the wooden span fell into a bad condition and was replaced with a replica by the local council in 1960.
Little Paxton in Cambridgeshire, England is a village and civil parish that lies 5 miles (8.0 km) south of Huntingdon and 1.7 miles (2.7 km) north of St Neots. It is in the district and historic county of Huntingdonshire. Until the 1970s it was a minor village and the church was under threat of closure. The building of a housing estate and a junior school revived its fortunes and the establishment of the Paxton Pits Nature Reserve around part of the nearby gravel pits has brought visitors to the village.
Stretham is a village and civil parish 4 miles (6 km) south-south-west of Ely in Cambridgeshire, England, about 74 miles (119 km) by road from London. Its main attraction is Stretham Old Engine, a steam-powered pump used to drain the fens. The pump is still in use today although converted to electric power. It has open days throughout the year.
Crickhowell Bridge is an 18th-century bridge that spans the River Usk in Crickhowell, Powys, Wales. The main A4077 road to Gilwern crosses it. The bridge is claimed to be the longest stone bridge in Wales at over 128 metres (420 ft).
Dove Bridge is a medieval bridge across the River Dove on the boundary of Staffordshire and Derbyshire in England. A river crossing has existed here since before the 1086 Domesday Book, on the road between Derby and Newcastle-under-Lyme. The current structure, a six-arch bridge, is thought to date from the 15th century, though it has been subject to later repairs and significant widening work in 1913. A larger replacement bridge was constructed in the 1970s and now carries the A50 dual carriageway. Dove Bridge is now only used by pedestrian and farm traffic.