Sherburnhouse Bridge, 15m south-west of C20 roadbridge over the Sherburnhouse Burn
Sherburnhouse Bridge, Sherburn House, Durham, DH1 2SQ
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1002341
- Statutory Address:
- Sherburnhouse Bridge, Sherburn House, Durham, DH1 2SQ
Location
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Scheduled Monument
- List Entry Number:
- 1002341
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 27-Nov-2025
- Location Description:
- 15m south-west of C20 bridge over Sherburnhouse Burn.
- Statutory Address 1:
- Sherburnhouse Bridge, Sherburn House, Durham, DH1 2SQ
Location
- Statutory Address:
- Sherburnhouse Bridge, Sherburn House, Durham, DH1 2SQ
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- County Durham (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Sherburn Village
- District:
- County Durham (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Shincliffe
- National Grid Reference:
- NZ3060941627
Summary
A single-span masonry bridge with chamfered ribs, of C14 date.
Reasons for Designation
Sherburnhouse Bridge, of C14 date, is scheduled for the following principal reasons:
* Survival: it is a good example of a simple medieval single-span bridge which survives well, retaining dressed-stone, a segmental arch and chamfered ribs;
* Potential: the bridge and its abutments will contain archaeological information relating to its medieval construction and use, and evidence of an earlier bridge on the same site may be retained.
History
The earliest mention of Sherburnhouse Bridge described as the 'Pontem de Shirburn' is in the foundation charter of Sherburn Hospital towards the end of the C12. The present bridge is thought to date from about AD 1335, when the hospital was restored after destruction by the Scots. In 1616 repairs are mentioned in the Churchwardens' Accounts for Pittington described as 'repayringe of half the stone bridge at Sherburn House Milln, now in decay'. The bridge carried the main road across Sherburnhouse Burn until 1930 when a new concrete bridge was built 15m to its north-east. When visited in 1991 as part of a survey of scheduled ancient monuments, the bridge was described as having some recent pointing.
Details
PRINCIPAL ELEMENTS: a single-span masonry bridge with chamfered ribs, of C14 date.
DESCRIPTION: the bridge, which carries a track across the Sherburnhouse Burn, has a span of 15 feet and an overall width of 12 feet. It is constructed of yellow sandstone; the north face is of coursed stonework, and the south face is of random stonework. It has a deep-chamfered segmental arch, and four chamfered ribs to the soffit. There is no parapet except for a low kerb. It is considered that the buried abutments may retain evidence of the earlier medieval bridge on the same site.
EXTENT OF SCHEDULING: This includes the full extent of the bridge as it is mapped on Ordnance Survey maps.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- DU 41
- Legacy System:
- RSM - OCN
Sources
Books and journals
Jervoise, E, The Ancient Bridges of the North of England, (1931), 39 and illustration
Linsley, S, Bridges in County Durham, (2017)
Websites
HeritageGateway, accessed 11-08-2025 from https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=3533add9-e423-427f-956b-ccf13ec7c86a&resourceID=19191
Legal
This monument is scheduled under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 as amended as it appears to the Secretary of State to be of national importance. This entry is a copy, the original is held by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 26-Jun-2026 at 08:27:17.
Download a full scale map (PDF)End of official list entry
All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.