Rothern Bridge and flanking walls
ROTHERN BRIDGE AND FLANKING WALLS
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1305790
- Date first listed:
- 04-Oct-1960
- List Entry Name:
- Rothern Bridge and flanking walls
- Statutory Address:
- ROTHERN BRIDGE AND FLANKING WALLS
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2004-05-23
- Reference:
- IOE01/11793/07
- Rights:
- © Dr Barbara Hilton. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II
- List Entry Number:
- 1305790
- Date first listed:
- 04-Oct-1960
- Date of most recent amendment:
- 17-Jul-2018
- List Entry Name:
- Rothern Bridge and flanking walls
- Location Description:
- The bridge spans the River Torridge just north of the A386.
- Statutory Address 1:
- ROTHERN BRIDGE AND FLANKING WALLS
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- ROTHERN BRIDGE AND FLANKING WALLS
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- Torridge (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Frithelstock
- County:
- Devon
- District:
- Torridge (District Authority)
- Parish:
- Great Torrington
- National Grid Reference:
- SS4791019742
Summary
An early-C15 bridge, widened in the early-C19.
Reasons for Designation
Rothern Bridge, a multi-span bridge dating from the early-C15, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* for its surviving medieval fabric dating from the early-C15, with later alterations and additions;
* as a well-built example of a multi-span stone bridge.
Historic interest:
* as a good example of a multi-span bridge dating from the early-C15, a building type which is relatively rare nationally.
History
Rother Bridge is a multi-span bridge of four arches, spanning the River Torridge between Great Torrington to the east and Frithelstock to the west. The line of the former Torrington and Marland light railway runs adjacent, and the site of the former Torrington Station is just east of the bridge.
The earliest surviving fabric of the bridge probably dates from the early-C15. It was later widened in the early-C19 with new arches springing from the cutwaters. In 1928 the bridge was rendered redundant when the adjacent Rolle Bridge was constructed and the road diverted over the new bridge.
Details
An early-C15 bridge, widened in the early-C19.
MATERIALS: the bridge is constructed of rubble stone with ashlar dessings.
PLAN: the bridge is orientated roughly south-west to north-east as it crosses the River Torridge.
DESCRIPTION: the original arches of the bridge can be seen on the undersides where they rise sharply from the piers to a narrow point. The road carried on these arches would have been between 2.75m and 3m wide. When the bridge was widened, new arches were added which spring from the cutwaters and increased the road width to 4m.
Above the arches there is a projecting string course and above this the parapets. At the points where the cutwaters rise, these continue above the stringcourse as pilasters. The parapets have chamfered ashlar copings.
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 91417
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Websites
Heritage Gateway - Devon & Dartmoor Historic Environment Record, ref. MDV435, accessed 11.5.18 from https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MDV435&resourceID=104
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 07-Jun-2026 at 22:08:20.
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