Four-arched Bridge, Hedingham Castle, Castle Hedingham, Essex. - Arch Bridges on Waymarking.com

The Norman Castle known as Hedingham Castle was built around 1130-1140 for Aubrey De Vere who later became the Earl of Oxford. It is of massive construction of flint rubble faced with Barnack stone (from a quarry in Northamptonshire). In plan 58ft x 53ft and height 70ft with walls tapering from 11ft thick to 10ft it is built in the Inner Bailey of the castle site.

Connecting the castle keep and inner bailey to the outer bailey across the dry moat is this four-arched bridge built around 1496 for the 13th Earl, John de Vere KG KB, born 8th September, 1442, died 10th March, 1513, the second son of another John, the 12th Earl of Oxford, and Elizabeth Howard. He was one of the principal Lancastrian commanders during the English Wars of the Roses and principal commander of King Henry VII's army at the Battle of Bosworth. He again led Henry's troops to victory at the Battle of Stoke two years later and became one of the great men of the King's reign.

The bridge is built in red brick, of 4 spans with four centred arches of two chamfered orders and there are cutwater piers on the south side despite the moat being dry. There is a shallow slope on the bridge from east to west and the central two arches are lower than the outer two. The centre pier is pierced east to west by a small four centred arch. Later work includes the blocking of the east and west spans to the north, adding pilasters to the north piers, end pillars and a coping to the side walls. A red brick retaining wall runs north west from the north west face, built in the same period, and following the line of the dry moat. The bridge is now a Scheduled Ancient Monument and is Grade II* listed.

Length of bridge: 67ft (20m) Height of bridge: 20ft (6m) What type of traffic does this bridge support?: Pedestrians and occasional motor traffic What kind of gap does this bridge cross?: A dry moat between the inner and outer baileys of a Norman Castle. Date constructed: 1496 Is the bridge still in service for its original purpose?: yes Name of road or trail the bridge services: no name. Location: Hedingham Castle, Essex

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