| Pill Bridge | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates | 51°00′28″N2°42′50″W / 51.0077°N 2.7140°W Coordinates: 51°00′28″N2°42′50″W / 51.0077°N 2.7140°W |
| Carries | pedestrian |
| Crosses | River Yeo |
| Locale | Between Ilchester and Long Sutton, Somerset, England |
| Heritage status | Scheduled monument |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Arch bridge |
Pill Bridge is a stone arch bridge over the River Yeo between the parishes of Ilchester and Long Sutton, in the English county of Somerset. It is a scheduled monument. [1] [2]
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.
The River Yeo, also known as the River Ivel, is a tributary of the River Parrett in north Dorset and south Somerset, England.
Ilchester is a village and civil parish, situated on the River Yeo or Ivel, five miles north of Yeovil, in the English county of Somerset. Originally a Roman town, and later a market town, Ilchester has a rich medieval history and was a notable settlement in the county; around the 12th and 13th centuries it was effectively the county town. It had, however, declined in size and importance by the beginning of the 18th century, and the last markets were held in 1833. In 1889 the historic corporation that had governed the town was dissolved.
The current 17th century packhorse bridge replaced an earlier 13th-century bridge at the same site. [2]
A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry packhorses across a river or stream. Typically a packhorse bridge consists of one or more narrow masonry arches, and has low parapets so as not to interfere with the horse's panniers. Multi-arched examples sometimes have triangular cutwaters that are extended upwards to form pedestrian refuges.
It was the unloading point for goods destined for Ilchester, 1.5 miles (2.4 km) downstream, until the conception of the Ivelchester and Langport Navigation. A warehouse at the site was used from 1699 until 1805. [2] [3]
The Ivelchester and Langport Navigation was a scheme to make the River Ivel navigable from Langport to Ilchester, in Somerset, England. Work started in 1795, but the scheme was effectively bankrupt by 1797, and construction of the locks was never completed.
The bridge consists of three semi-circular arches. It is 48 inches (1,200 mm) wide and has a total span of 54 feet (16 m). [4]
