Ulshaw Bridge

Ulshaw Bridge
Yorkshire North Riding
Ulshaw Bridge
Location
Carrying:	Local road
Crossing:	River Ure
Location
Grid reference:	SE14528722
Location:	54°16’49"N, 1°46’43"W
Structure
Length:	256 feet
No. of spans:	4
Material:	Stone
History
	Built Late Middle Ages
Information

Ulshaw Bridge is a late mediæval or early modern, stone bridge of four arches crossing the River Ure by the little hamlet of Ulshaw, downsteam of Middleton.

Ulshaw Bridge is a good example of a late mediæval bridge with few substantial alterations which retains a wide range of constructional features. The bridge has not been strengthened in modern times. It contains a wide range of original masons’ marks.

A late mediæval sundial, without its gnomon, stands on the bridge, on one of the central refuges. It is believed to have been installed in the early modern period.

History and construction

In the Middle Ages, Ulshaw was a main crossing point over the Ure and the bridge was close to both secular and ecclesiastic centres: Middleham Castle to the west and Jervaulx Abbey to the east. The earliest known reference to a bridge at Ulshaw is in 1588 when 200 marks were spent on its repair. Some 50 years earlier John Leland, the antiquarian, who visited the area between 1535 and 1543, noted in his journal a wooden bridge across the Ure near Middleham but it is not clear whether this refers to Ulshaw Bridge.

There are records throughout the 17th century of money being allocated and repairs being undertaken to the bridge. From the surviving architecture, the bridge is thought to date to the 16th century. The bridge parapets were replaced probably in the late 19th century.

The bridge is constructed of coursed ashlar blocks. Each of the arches is recessed segmental in shape and has a span of approximately 30 feet. The arches spring from three stone piers each with pointed cutwaters on both the up and downstream sides, which project beyond the face of the bridge by 11 feet. The two approach causeways are both ramped in order to raise the carriageway over the arches.

Throughout the bridge there are a series of at least 30 mason's marks inscribed into the stone. These are particularly visible on the lower courses of the central downstream cutwater, the southern face of the northern arch and on the western face of the northern abutment. These marks comprise a range of symbols and shapes some of which are repeated. Such marks are found in many different classes of monument of the mediæval period and although there are a number of theories about their function, the origin, meaning and purpose of these marks is not yet fully understood.

The bridge parapet above the arches was completely rebuilt in the 19th century. On the inner face of one of the coping stones above the southern arch on the south western side of the bridge there is a clear mason's mark identical to some on the lower courses of the cutwaters: this indicates that the original parapet and the lower parts of the bridge structure were contemporary.

There are six pedestrian refuges, one above each of the cutwaters: the three on the upstream side and the central one on the downstream side are all triangular in plan mirroring the shape of the cutwater below, while the outer two refuges on the downstream side are shallow curves about 1m deep reflecting the different form of the cutwater below. In both the two opposing central refuges there is a low stone seat placed across the apex of the refuge.

Sundial

The sundial stands in the upstream central refuge. It is made of stone and includes a square pillar approximately two feet high standing in a square socket stone. There is an octagonal stone block on top of the pillar with the inscription RW 1674 carved on the eastern side. The gnomon is not present. It is not known whether the sundial was placed here on the date given or was brought from another location at a different time.

References

• Chandler, J: 'John Lelands Itinerary: Travels in Tudor England' (1993), p 571
• Fleming, A: 'Swaledale: Valley of the Wild River' (1998), p 39
• Jervoise, E: 'Ancient Bridges of Northern England' (1931), p 77-78