Packhorse bridge across Crook Gill, 530m south west of Mount Pleasant Farm

Reasons for Designation

Medieval and early post-medieval single span bridges are structures designed to carry a road or track over a river by means of a single arch, typically 3m- 6m in span. They were constructed throughout the medieval period, most commonly using timber. Stone began to be used instead of timber in the 12th century and became increasingly common in the 14th and 15th centuries. Many medieval bridges were repaired, modified or extensively rebuilt in the post- medieval period. During the medieval period the construction and maintenance of bridges was frequently carried out by large estates and the Church, especially monastic institutions which developed long distance packhorse routes between their landholdings. Some stone built medieval bridges still survive. These can be classified into three main types based on the profile of the arch which is typically pointed, semi-circular or flattened. 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. Bridges were common and important features of medieval towns and the countryside and allowed easy access along a well developed road and trackway system. However, only around 16 largely unaltered medieval single span bridges have so far been recognised to survive in England. All these are considered to be of national importance. A larger number retain significant medieval or post-medieval remains, allowing the original form of the bridge to be determined. These examples are also nationally important.

The bridge across Crook Gill is a good, unmodified example of a typical packhorse bridge. It retains the character of similar rustic bridges built from the late medieval period onwards. Unlike many such bridges in the county, it has not been redecked in modern materials or had parapets added.

Details

The monument includes a single span packhorse bridge that crosses Crook Gill just before its confluence with Cray Gill which subsequently joins the River Wharfe 700m to the south. The bridge lies roughly halfway between the hamlets of Cray and Hubberholme.

The bridge lies on an old packhorse route from Bishopdale into Wharfedale. It is constructed of undressed limestone slabs. The single arch is a very shallow segment with a span of just over 4m. The bridge is about 1.7m wide and lacks parapets, although some of the arch stones extend upwards to form an intermittent kerb. The bridge is approached from either side by roughly built stone causeways each up to approximately 9m long. These are also included in the monument. The deck of the bridge and causeways are cobbled.

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:

34726

Legacy System:

RSM

Sources

Books and journals
Hinchcliffe, F A, A Guide to the Packhorse Bridges of England, (1994)

End of official list entry

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