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Summary

Earlier bridge over the River Loman, possibly built in the early 17th century. Replaced by present bridge in late 18th century.

Location

Protected Status: none recorded

Other References/Statuses

• Old DCC SMR Ref: SS91SE/304

Monument Type(s) and Dates

• BRIDGE (Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1750 AD (Between))

Full description

HOLBROOK, Untitled Source (Migrated Record). SDV117918.

Two piers of the medieval lowman bridge at tiverton were observed in a watching brief, c 5m north of the present bridge. They were of stone on timber piles, and the one that could be measured was 4.6m long by 1.64m wide, with cutwaters upstream and downstream. The bridge probably lay obliquely across a slight bend in the river. The first documentary reference to the bridge is not until 1614, and it might have been built when gold street was laid out in 1612, but it may be considerably older. The present lowman bridge (ss95781259) was built in 1794-5 and widened on its southern side in the early 20th century.(holbrook).

Dunsford, M., 1790, Untitled Source, 180, 182 (Monograph). SDV345501.

Snell, F. J., 1892, Untitled Source, 24 (Monograph). SDV37599.

Henderson, C. + Jervoise, E., 1938, Old Devon Bridges, 51 (Monograph). SDV2296.

TIVERTON GAZETTE, 1987, 17th Century Find on the River Bed (Article in Serial). SDV361536.

A piece of Tiverton' past emerged briefly from its resting place in the silt and mud beneath the River Lowman when workmen uncovered the remain of a 17th century packhorse bridge.
The discovery recalled the days when Tiverton was a centre for the wool trade and horses loaded with fleeces entered town by the bridge.
The base of one of two piers was found at Lowman Green, yards from the present bridge, during preparations to concrete over the river bed.
The water preserved remnants of the timber surround built to protect the base from rocks carried by the current.

Holbrook, N., 1987 - 1989, A Watching Brief at the Lowman Bridge, Tiverton 1987 (Report - Watching Brief). SDV336517.

Remains of a stone bridge were observed a few metres north of the present Lowman Bridge during the laying of a concrete bed to the river.The remains of a stone pier, 4.6 metres long by 1.64 metres wide, survived to a maximum of four courses, resting directly on the river gravels. Upstream and downstream of the pier, concentrations of oak piles were found driven into the river bed, with those upstream forming a V-shaped starling in front of the cutwater and enclosing an area of compacted gravels. The eastern abutment consisted of an L-shaped revetting wall which retained the gravel bank, and possible remains of the western abutment were noted, consisting of a slight plinth one course high which projected from the base of a later retaining wall. The bridge appears to have lain obliquely across a slight bend in the river. The earliest reference to the bridge is in 1614, and it may have been built when Gold Street was laid out in 1612, however it may be considerably older. The present Lowman Bridge was built in 1794-5.

Sources / Further Reading

Associated Monuments: none recorded

Associated Finds: none recorded

Associated Events: none recorded

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