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Summary

Old Bridge, North Huish, a high arched 17th century packhorse bridge on old road at Avonwick.

Location

Protected Status

• Listed Building (II) 1325036: DEVILS BACKBONE BRIDGE DEVILS BACKBONE BRIDGE OR OLD BRIDGE OLD BRIDGE

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SX75NW/70
• Old Listed Building Ref (II)

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BRIDGE (XVII - 1601 AD to 1700 AD (Between))

Full description

Swete, R. J. (Revd), Illustration by Swete (Record Office Collection). SDV324107.

Illustration by Swete of South Brent Bridge.

English Heritage, 1952, North Huish, LBS No 101386 (List of Blds of Arch or Historic Interest). SDV324108.

'Devil's Backbone Bridge' or 'Old Bridge' over the River Avon, originally a packhorse bridge. Probably 17C, widened probably in 18C or early 19C. Stone rubble with dressed stone arch rings. Large single round arch of about 8m span. Originally a packhorse bridge of about 2m wide overall and possibly without parapets. In the 18C or early 19C it was widened by about lm on the upstream west side and parapets added on both sides. The original arch showing on the downstream east side has unchamfered double arch rings above which the later parapet is corbelled out on large rough slates; the parapet coping on this side is of stone rubble. On the west upstream side the arch ring is single and also unchamfered and the parapet has granite coping. The abutments splay out at either end of the bridge and are built on the exposed slate bedrock of the river banks. A 20C buttress on the east side of the north abutment. Reference: C Henderson and E Jervoise, Old Devon Bridges, para 26, plate 7.

Robinson, R., 1978, South Brent (Un-published). SDV137445.

'Old Bridge', Avonwick. Extant. High arched packhorse bridge on old route. The 'Old Bridge' spans the River Avon at Horsebrook. Its importance has decreased since the creation of the turnpike system and the construction of 'New Bridge' on the Totnes- Plymouth Turnpike road. It is not included in the earliest dated list of County Bridges in the parish (1787) in the County Record Office, nor in subsequent ones. This is a picturesque bridge with a high rounded arch, springing from the slate of the river bed. The height of the arch is about 6m and the span about 6.50m. It is built of slate and granite river boulders, with a dressed granite arch and parapets about 1m high. It has been widened by about 80cm on the north side, the original arch the south being 2m 30cm on the underside. The present carriageway, now tarmac, is 2m 50cm wide. Other details: Sketch.

Ordnance Survey, 2016, MasterMap (Cartographic). SDV359352.

This source based on this report.

Historic England, 2016, National Heritage List for England (National Heritage List for England). SDV359353.

This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 29 September 2016, In Name, and Location:-
“DEVILS BACKBONE BRIDGE DEVILS BACKBONE BRIDGE OR OLD BRIDGE OLD BRIDGE” abridged to “DEVILS BACKBONE BRIDGE OR OLD BRIDGE” The following corrections/additions/deletions to the Description were made:- Corrected to read “Im” was corrected to read “1m”. The following text was removed from the Description as it also appears in the Selected Sources:- “Reference: C Henderson and E Jervoise, Old Devon Bridges, para 26, plate 7.” This text was added to the Description:- “This entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 29 September 2016.” The grid reference was removed from the Details text.

Road bridge over River Avon, originally a packhorse bridge. Probably C17, widened probably in C18 or early C19. Stone rubble with dressed stone arch rings. Large single round arch of about 8m span. Originally a packhorse bridge of about 2m wide overall and possibly without parapets. In the C18 or early C19 it was widened by about 1m on the upstream west side and parapets added on both sides. The original arch showing on the downstream east side has unchamfered double arch rings above which the later parapet is corbelled out on large rough slates; the parapet coping on this side is of stone rubble. On the west upstream side the arch ring is single and also unchamfered and the parapet has granite coping. The abutments splay out at either end of the bridge and are built on the exposed slate bedrock of the river banks. A C20 buttress on the east side of the north abutment.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events

• EDV3021 - South Brent

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