Elvet Bridge
Elvet Bridge | |
---|---|
cutwaters. | |
Material | Stone |
Width | 33 feet (10 m) |
No. of spans | 10 known; possibly 14 total |
Piers in water | 3 |
History | |
Construction start | 1160 |
Construction end | 13th century |
Location | |
Elvet Bridge is a medieval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear in the city of Durham, in County Durham, England. It links the peninsula in central Durham and the Elvet area of the city, and is a Grade I listed building.[1]
Building
Building of the bridge began in AD 1160
Elvet bridge was not Durham's first bridge over the Wear. The Foedarium of
Bishop Hugo built the bridge of Elvit, called the New Bridge to distinguish it from the other bridge, already built, which is called the Old Bridge.[3]
The bridge has 10 visible arches,[2] but there is some dispute over how many arches exist in total.[4] The early 16th-century antiquary John Leland believed there were 14 arches,[5] but this has never been proven.[4] The river flows through four full arches – the remaining are dry or partly so.[4] The early 19th-century antiquary Robert Surtees wrote that there were 10 arches,[5] and this number has been verified. Others may be hidden beneath the street on the Elvet side or beneath Souter Peth.[4]
Subsequent history
The bridge was repaired extensively in the time of Bishop Foxe between 1495 and 1501, and again in 1601.[2] A flood in 1771 badly damaged the bridge and the three central arches were renewed.[1] The bridge was 15 feet (4.6 m) wide until 1804–05, when it was widened by 18 feet (5.5 m)[5] on its upstream (northern) side.[1]
In the Middle Ages Elvet Bridge was guarded by a gate and towers, and there was a number of buildings on the bridge. They included a chapel at either end:
The chapel on the eastern, Elvet, side of the bridge has partially survived and is particularly visible from the riverbanks to the south. A number of buildings incorporate part of the bridge, and 18 Elvet Bridge is also Grade I listed as a result.[7]
The bridge is reputed to be the narrowest row-through bridge in Europe.[citation needed]
References
- ^ a b c d e Historic England (6 May 1952). "Elvet Bridge, River Wear (1121355)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
- ^ a b c Johnson 2004[page needed]
- ^ a b c Jervoise 1931, p. 40
- ^ a b c d e f Simpson 2006[page needed]
- ^ a b c Jervoise 1931, p. 42
- ^ a b c d Jervoise 1931, p. 41
- ^ Historic England (30 April 1971). "18, Elvet Bridge (1323228)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 4 October 2013.
Sources
- Jervoise, Edwyn (1931). The Ancient Bridges of the North of England. Vol. II. Westminster: The Architectural Press for the SPAB. pp. 40–43.
- Johnson, Margot (2004). Durham: Historic and University City. ISBN 0-946105-16-2.
- Simpson, David (2006). Durham City. Business Education. ISBN 978-1-901888-50-8.