Ide Bridge

Overview

Heritage Category: Scheduled Monument

List Entry Number: 1020701

Date first listed: 26-Oct-1954

Date of most recent amendment: 24-Apr-2002

Location

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

National Grid Reference: SX 90195 90762

Summary

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Reasons for Designation

Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers. They were constructed throughout the medieval period for the use of pedestrians and packhorse or vehicular traffic, crossing rivers or streams, often replacing or supplementing earlier fords. During the early medieval period timber was used, but from the 12th century stone (and later brick) bridges became more common, with the piers sometimes supported by a timber raft. Most stone or brick bridges were constructed with pointed arches, although semicircular and segmental examples are also known. A common medieval feature is the presence of stone ashlar ribs underneath the arch. The bridge abutments and revetting of the river banks also form part of the bridge. Where medieval bridges have been altered in later centuries, original features are sometimes concealed behind later stonework, including remains of earlier timber bridges. The roadway was often originally cobbled or gravelled. The building and maintenance of bridges was frequently carried out by the church and by guilds, although landowners were also required to maintain bridges. From the mid-13th century the right to collect tolls, known as pontage, was granted to many bridges, usually for repairs; for this purpose many urban bridges had houses or chapels on them, and some were fortified with a defensive gateway. Medieval multi-span bridges must have been numerous throughout England, but most have been rebuilt or replaced and less than 200 examples are now known to survive. As a rare monument type largely unaltered, surviving examples and examples that retain significant medieval and post- medieval fabric are considered to be of national importance.

Ide Bridge survives very well and is no longer used by vehicular traffic. Architectural and archaeological information concerning the construction and development of this bridge survives within its fabric.

History

Legacy Record - This information may be included in the List Entry Details.

Details

The monument includes a three arched stone road bridge spanning the Alphin Brook north of the village of Ide. A bridge certainly existed at this point in the first half of the 13th century, but the earliest parts of the present structure are considered to be no earlier than 17th century in date. The bridge is formed by three segmental arches together with cutwaters on both sides. On the downstream side the bridge has been widened by round arches springing from the cutwaters. An inscribed stone built into the western parapet reads: `This bridge was erected by Richard Brewer of ...? 1692'. Vehicular access to the bridge is prevented by bollards at the northern end and it is now used only by pedestrians crossing the nearby A30 to and from Ide village. The modern road surface and the bollards at the northern end are excluded from the scheduling, although the ground beneath them is included.

MAP EXTRACT The site of the monument is shown on the attached map extract. It includes a 2 metre boundary around the archaeological features, considered to be essential for the monument's support and preservation.

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number: 34443

Legacy System: RSM

Sources

Other
Devon County Sites and Monuments Register, SX99SW15, (1982)

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 Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.