Tag Archives: History of British bridges
The Forth Bridges
The Firth of Forth is a Scottish estuary that divides Fife on the north from Lothian on the south. Firth is probably derived from the Norse word Fjord, meaning narrow inlet. And it’s fortunate that it narrows sufficiently at the town of Queensferry to allow not one or two bridges but three. Bridge number one […]
Elvet, Exe and Edmund
Building a bridge is a major undertaking, especially the cost. Who pays – the taxpayer, a local business consortium, the road users through tolls? This problem isn’t new. In Medieval times stones bridges were rare. Crossing rivers involved fords or wooden structures, which easily washed away. A generous patron was needed to build a sturdy […]
The Devil’s Bridges
Why would anyone name a bridge the Devil’s? The Devil’s Bridge near Kirby Lonsdale spans the River Lune on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales. Built around 1370 it is steeped in the Medieval folktales of the time. According to the legend, a local woman could not cross the river to retrieve her cow. The […]
Crossing the Chasm
Bridges can be beautiful, especially those that span rivers, creating reflections and vistas for travellers to admire. The most spectacular bridges, in my opinion, are those that cross chasms and gorges, like the Clifton Suspension Bridge. The River Avon cuts through limestone to form this amazing gorge that lies west of the city of Bristol. […]
Building Bridges
It’s the beginning of a new A to Z blogging challenge and my eighth year of participating. Each day throughout April I will be posting on my theme: the history of British bridges. Building a bridge can be a mammoth undertaking, involving engineers, a considerable workforce, and a huge supply of materials. An engineer needs […]
The Ancient Crossings
It’s the beginning of a new A to Z blogging challenge and my ninth year of participating. This year will also honour the late Jeremy Hawkins who designed the graphic art used by participating bloggers all round the world. Each day throughout April I will be posting on my theme: the history of British bridges. […]
A to Z Blogging Challenge – Theme Reveal!
Where would we be in this world if it wasn’t for bridges? They connect people and places, and at a time like now, we need those connections to be strong and resilient. Bridges survive for centuries, a testimony to early engineers who built them, and they bring together people across divides. My theme will explore […]
The Quiet Writer 