Great North Road Stone Bridge - Ferrybridge, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 42.951 W 001° 16.171
30U E 614197 N 5953298
The Great North Road was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. This stone arch bridge at Ferrybridge crossed the River Aire. It was closed to road traffic after a new concrete bypass was built in 1967.
Waymark Code: WMQENE
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/17/2016
Views: 2
In 1198, a bridge was built over the river. The first recorded crossings of the river at Ferrybridge date from the bridge's construction. The bridge was rebuilt at the end of the 14th century with seven pillars and a chantry chapel at one end. Until 1810, a toll was payable to cross the bridge.
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By the early 17th century the main route from London to York was via Ferrybridge along the Great North Road. Ferrybridge became a major coaching centre where the routes to York and further north to Edinburgh would divert. Several coaching houses in Ferrybridge served the passengers, coachmen and their horses the most important of which was The Angel. This was a large building with lots of stabling. The bridge at Ferrybridge was found to be too narrow for the increasing amount of traffic going across it and for the small barges passing beneath it along the Aire and Calder Navigation and so a new bridge was authorised and construction began in 1797. Designed by the architect John Carr and built by local builder Bernard Hartley it was eventually opened to traffic in June 1804.
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The bridge is an English Heritage Grade I Listed building with the following text.
"Bridge. Inscribed on plaques: 'JOHN CARR, ESQUIRE,/ OF YORK, ARCHITECT./
1797.' 'FERRYBRIDGE BROTHERTON'. 'BERNARD HARTLEY./ OF PONTEFRACT,
BUILDER./1804.' with C20 restoration. Tooled millstone grit ashlar.
8 round-headed arches of which there are 4 land arches to Ferrybridge side
and one to Brotherton, and 3 larger river arches. River arches have volute
keystones and hoodmoulds. Plain keystones to 2 flanking land arches,
otherwise rusticated surrounds. Canted cutwaters between river arches
surmounted by refuges in parapet. To either side of river arches a pier
with niche in quoined surround. Dentilled cornice to section bordered by
piers, otherwise ashlar band. 3 course parapet with vase balustrade to
central section. Parapet has splayed ends with rounded caps to 3 ends."
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The listing tells us about the two date plaques on the bridge. The inscription on the north parapet has the date that work started on the bridge.
JOHN CARR, ESQUIRE,
OF YORK, ARCHITECT.
1797.
FERRYBRIDGE | BROTHERTON.
The mention of 'FERRYBRIDGE | BROTHERTON' relates to the fact that the River Aire acts as the border between the two towns.
The south parapet has a second inscription, showing the bridge builder's name and date of its completion.
BERNARD HARTLEY.
OF PONTEFRACT, BUILDER.
1804.
This inscription has been vandalised with white paint.
The bridge is now restricted to cyclists and pedestrians after a new concrete bypass opened in 1967.
"The construction River Aire Bridge, Ferrybridge began in 1964 under a contact with Martin Cowley for the construction of the Ferrybridge by-pass on the A1 trunk road. Martin Cowley unfortunately went into liquidation in 1965. The bridge was completed under a new contract with Christiani and Nielsen starting in April 1966 and completing in 1967. The final cost of the bridge was about £500,000."
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