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Summary

A bridge at Thorverton is documented in 1307. It may have survived, with repairs, until the end of the 18th century when it was badly damaged by floods. Swete's illustration of this time shows the middle section missing. It was rebuilt in 1796. The three western arches were retained but the other five were replaced by three. The road was also widened. It was rebuilt again in 1811-1813 In 1908 the present road bridge was built beside the old one. The old bridge was demolished in 1912 but the bridge abutments are still visible.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS90SW/73

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BRIDGE (Early Medieval to XX - 1066 AD to 1912 AD (Between))

Full description

Unknown, Unknown (Migrated Record). SDV1416.

Illustrations by swete (dro).

Orme, N., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV22909.

See subsheet 2 for present bridge. Mentioned in will of 1296 (orme).

Chope, R. P., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV33437.

Thorverton bridge. Bequest granted by bishop stafford in 1415 for the rebuilding of the bridge with arches of stone (chope).

Henderson, C. + Jervoise, E., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37041.

Now a ferro-concrete bridge. At the end of the 18th century it was of stone with eight arches. This is an ancient bridge site. Bequest under will of bishop bitton, died 1307, for its rebuilding. Three new arches were built in 1796 (henderson + jervoise).

SUBSHEET 2, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37045.

Earliest reference 1307 bequest towards rebuilding. Similar 1415 reference specifies 'arches of stone', suggesting earlier bridge was timber. Several 16c + 17c references to repair. Major repair c 1600 was recommended again in 1647, but appears not to have been carried out.18c quarter sessions contain several references to repair. Major rebuild in 1796, when 3 arches replaced 5 existing, and roadway widened 18ft. The design for the new bridge showed that there were 8 arches prior to rebuilding, possibly dating to late medieval period. Only the 3 w arches retained. Visit by swete in 1795, who states that the 2 central arches collapsed the preceding winter, and gives impression that it was a very ancient structure. Rebuilt 1811-1813. Single arch of 85ft. Land arch added, and roadway raised as a causeway. Remained standing until the new concrete bridge (subsheet 2) was completed.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37048.

Chope, r. P. /dcnq/14(1926-1927)95/early bridges.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37049.

Henderson, c. + jervoise, e. /old devon bridges/(1938)53-54.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37050.

Des=uglow, j. /pers comm 1983.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37051.

Dro=564m/11/169(illustrations by swete).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37052.

Des=photocopy of photo(1908)/in pf.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37053.

Orme, n. /dcnq/37. I(1992)1-6/henry de berbilond, d.1296, a vicar choral of exeter cathedral.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37054.

Dro=qs thorverton bridge 1/18-1/21.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37055.

Dro=qs 88/69; 88/70.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37056.

Dro=564m/ii/169.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37057.

Hingeston - randolph, f. C. /the register of bishop stafford/(1896)412.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37058.

Stoyle, i. /thorverton, devon/(1993)16.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37059.

Authers, w. P. + ponsford, c. N. /old tiverton and mid devon in photographs vol 2/(1980)pl 82.

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV37061.

Des=ea report/(28 august 1996)/in pf.

Uglow, J., Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV43389.

Vis=-/-/1983 (uglow) this bridge no longer exists. It stood upstream of the present bridge (uglow).

Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV79.

Vis=19/6/1996 (ea) watching brief undertaken during work involving temporary diversion of services to n side of thoverton bridge. Trench to the n of road on w side of bridge cut through mortared masonry. Large number of dressed masonry blocks excavated from trench, some re-used to revet n edge of existing road causeway. Others from mortared masonry wall, 2.1m wide, with s edge 3.1m n of road. Full height not ascertained, but 0.5m in section. S face made of finely worked dressed stone, n face made of roughly worked stone blocks. Report includes sketch plan + section (ea).

George, A. B., 1988, Thorverton Bridge, 28-29 (Article in Serial). SDV351905.

Green's bridge must have been his largest single span arch, at 84 feet.

Weddell, P. J., 1993, Archaeological Assessment of SWW River Exe Intake Protection Scheme at Thorverton Bridge (Report - Assessment). SDV355117.

The earliest known reference to Thorverton Bridge is in 1307 when Thomas Bitton, Bishop of Exeter, bequeathed £27 in his will towards the cost of rebuilding the bridge. A similar bequest was made in 1415 by Thomas Barton, a Canon of Exeter. This reference specifically mentions ‘arches of stone’. It is possible that the earliest structure on the site was built in timber and that it was rebuilt in stone in the 14th century. Stone bridges were still relatively uncommon in rural Devon in the 14/15th centuries. This reflects the importance of the routeway and the necessity of having a substantial bridge which would not be washed away by winter floods. Most 16th, 17th and 18th century references allude to the repair of the bridge at various times. A major rebuilding took place in 1796. Three arches were added at this time replacing five existing arches and the new roadway was widened to 18 feet. The three western arches were retained. The Rev John Swete had visited the site of the bridge in 1795 and drew a sketch from the meadow just downstream. He states that the two central arches collapsed during floods in the preceding winter. He gives the impression that it was a very ancient structure that had stood for many centuries. Only 13 years later the County Surveyor, James Green, reported that the bridge was in an unsatisfactory condition. The decision to rebuild the bridge was taken, and in 1811 an old quarry in Bullen Street, Thorverton was reopened to provide stone for the new construction. A single arch of 85 feet span was constructed to replace the three built in 1796. It was completed in 1813. At around this time it was decided to add a land arch to the east of the new single-span bridge. The roadway was to be raised by 3 feet to form a causeway with ‘a gradual descent from the top of the bridge’.
The present road bridge was built in 1908 just to the south of the earlier stone bridges. The 1813 bridge remained standing until the new concrete bridge was completed.
Bridge abutments are still visible on both sides of the river. On the east side the masonry representing the lower part of an arch, probably that of the 1813 bridge, remains. Masonry is visible through turf up to 2 metres from river's edge. In the field itself a spread of stones up to 0.3 metres runs alongside hedgebank, petering out about 91 metres east of the bridge remains.
See report for full details.

Unknown, Unknown, Thorverton Bridges (Un-published). SDV351907.

Photographs show the construction of the new bridge beside the old one in 1908. The old bridge was subsequently demolished, in June 1912.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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