Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Bridge, 15th century, on site of ford Grade I listed building. Main construction periods 1300 to 1824. Aylesford Bridge was built in the 14th century to cross the Medway at Aylesford. It carries the B 2011 between Ditton and Standling. The bridge is constructed from Kentish ragstone and formerly had eight pointed arches without ribs. However, in 1824 the two centre arches were replaced by a single arch of 60 feet span. The outer 6 arches are pointed and double-chamfered with stone dressings. Sloping buttresses to piers with cut-waters below on rebuilt concrete foundations, revealed only at low tide. The bridge is Scheduled and Listed Grade I.

Monument Types

• FORD (FORD, Early Medieval or Anglo-Saxon to Medieval - 410 AD to 1539 AD)
• BRIDGE (Medieval to Modern - 1300 AD to 2050 AD)

Full description

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[Centred at TQ 72935893] The bridge at Aylesford is built of Kentish ragstone and is probably of the 14th century. The original arches are pointed and have no ribs: the fine great sweeping central arch is segmental and replaced two of the original arches in 1824. (1) Sim. inf. re date and construction. There was a bridge here in the 14th c. but possibly only a wooden one - a grant of pontage for it was issued in 1331. In 1370 it was said to be 'broken'. (2) Additional ref. to bridge. There was a ford here of great importance and the Normans erected a small castle to defend it. [See TQ 75 NW 24] (3) Identifies a ford at Aylesford based on terminal of name. (4) There are no records of the building of the bridge. The river was probably easily fordable at this point. The bridge is narrow with recesses for foot-passengers. Early 15th c. (5) Fine 14th c. bridge. (6) Built c. 1370. (7) Old Gothic bridge. (8) The ford was a short distance above the bridge at Aylesford and was paved with heavy stones which have been dredge up in living memory. (9) The bridge is as described above, and is in excellent condition. There are cut-waters both up and down steam with pedestrian refuges above. The bridge averages 4.0m in width between the centres of the parapets. A 25" survey has been carried out. GPs A0/59/7/3 from south west. GPs AO/59/7/4 from south west. (10) [TQ 72945893] Bridge [NR] (11) TQ 72935893. Bridge at Aylesford. Well preserved and in normal use. Published 1:2500 survey correct. (12) Aylesford Bridge (formerly listed as the Bridge). Grade I. C14. [For full description see list]. (13) The bridge is the first of the series of medieval bridges over the Medway and is built of ragstone. It is probably 14th century and has an exceptionally wide cental arch, the result of later alteration. Two refuges each side of the road project on buttresses like pulpits. (14)

Description from record TQ 75 NW 345:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
AYLESFORD CP STATION ROAD TQ 7258 12/87 Aylesford Bridge (formerly listed as 25.8.59 The Bridge)
- I
Bridge. C14, central arch widened by removing a pier to allow passage for larger river traffic in 1824. Coursed and random rubblestone. 5 arches, that in centre wider, the outer 4-pointed and all double-chamfered with stone dressings. Sloping buttresses to piers with cut-waters below on rebuilt concrete foundations, revealed only at low tide. Octagonal and triangular canted stand-points resting on buttresses over the piers with 2 to the south of the central arch and 6 to the north. Stone-coped parapet. A barge-bed remains below the bridge, constructed from large baulks of timber (this part not listable). Scheduled as an Ancient Monument.
Listing NGR: TQ7294958946
Required repair in 1331 therefore as old, as beginning of 14th century. Probably built middle of 13th century. There is nothing in the character of the existing bridge to prevent it being the identical bridge referred to in 1293. Rag stone. Pointed arches with very moderate gradual to the centre. The piers have cutwaters on the upstream side, nearly perfect, on the down stream side they have been hipped and altered. There are immensely substantial stirlings at the foot of the piers. Six arches, including the large arch; formerly seven arches. Stone parapets complete and refuges for foot passengers at the summit of the cutwaters (17).

From the National Heritage List for England:

List entry Description
Summary of Monument
Aylesford Bridge, 100m south of St Peter’s Church.

Reasons for Designation
Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers. They were constructed throughout the medieval period for the use of pedestrians and packhorse or vehicular traffic, crossing rivers or streams, often replacing or supplementing earlier fords.

During the early medieval period timber was used, but from the 12th century stone (and later brick) bridges became more common, with the piers sometimes supported by a timber raft. Most stone or brick bridges were constructed with pointed arches, although semicircular and segmental examples are also known. A common medieval feature is the presence of stone ashlar ribs underneath the arch. The bridge abutments and revetting of the river banks also form part of the bridge. Where medieval bridges have been altered in later centuries, original features are sometimes concealed behind later stonework, including remains of earlier timber bridges. The roadway was often originally cobbled or gravelled. The building and maintenance of bridges was frequently carried out by the church and by guilds, although landowners were also required to maintain bridges. From the mid-13th century the right to collect tolls, known as pontage, was granted to many bridges, usually for repairs; for this purpose many urban bridges had houses or chapels on them, and some were fortified with a defensive gateway. Medieval multi-span bridges must have been numerous throughout England, but most have been rebuilt or replaced and less than 200 examples are now known to survive. As a rare monument type largely unaltered, surviving examples and examples that retain significant medieval and post-medieval fabric are considered to be of national importance.

Despite some later alterations and repair work, Aylesford Bridge is a well preserved medieval multi-span bridge. It is a good example of its type and will retain evidence relating to medieval bridge construction and masonry techniques. Deposits buried underneath the bridge will preserve valuable artefactual, ecofactual and environmental evidence, providing information about the human and natural history of the site prior to the construction of the bridge.

History
See Details.

Details
This record was the subject of a minor enhancement on 15 December 2014. The record has been generated from an "old county number" (OCN) scheduling record. These are monuments that were not reviewed under the Monuments Protection Programme and are some of our oldest designation records.

The monument includes a medieval multi-span bridge situated over the River Medway at Aylesford.

Aylesford Bridge is constructed of Kentish ragstone with seven arches including a central segmental arch and six pointed and double-chamfered outer arches. The bridge is about 4m wide between the centres of the stone-coped parapet. The end arches are partly buried by the river bank. The stone piers have cutwaters on the upstream and downstream sides on rebuilt concrete foundations. On each side are octagonal and triangular canted pedestrian refuges resting on buttresses over the piers. Below the bridge is a barge-bed constructed from large baulks of timber.

Aylesford Bridge is thought to have been constructed in about the 14th century, and is situated downstream from the probable site of an earlier ford. A grant of pontage was issued in 1331, although it is possible that this relates to a timber predecessor. In about 1824, the two centre arches were replaced by a single arch of 18m span, removing a pier to allow passage for larger river traffic.

Aylesford Bridge is Grade I listed.(18)

<1> The Bridges of Britain 1954 68 (Mare) (OS Card Reference). SKE50153.

<2> The Anc Bridges of the S of Eng 1930 37 Illust (Jervoise) (OS Card Reference). SKE49924.

<3> Memorials of Old Kent 1907 329 (J T Perry) (OS Card Reference). SKE46885.

<4> Coll Cant 1892 142 (G Payne) (OS Card Reference). SKE39117.

<5> Country Life 20 1906 585 (OS Card Reference). SKE39412.

<6> Arch J 62 1905 183 (OS Card Reference). SKE36661.

<7> Country Life 57 1925 480 (C Hussey) (OS Card Reference). SKE39447.

<8> Country Life 8 1900 683 804 photo (OS Card Reference). SKE39451.

<9> Country Life 54 1923 570 (Conway) (OS Card Reference). SKE39444.

<10> F1 ASP 20-FEB-64 (OS Card Reference). SKE42204.

<11> OS 1:10000 1974 (OS Card Reference). SKE48159.

<12> F2 MJF 19-Mar-86 (OS Card Reference). SKE43349.

<13> DOE (HHR) Dist of Tonbridge and Malling Kent 1987 32 (OS Card Reference). SKE40404.

<14> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 140 (C Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE50225.

<15> Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 26 - February, 1964 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3881.

<16> Field report for monument TQ 75 NW 26 - March, 1986 (Bibliographic reference). SKE3882.

<17> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<18> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading