Exploring Kent's Past

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Monument details

Summary

Bridge built 168(?3) rebuilt 1846.

Monument Types

• BRIDGE (BRIDGE, Post Medieval - 1540 AD to 1900 AD)

Full description

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[TQ 86764468] Sherway Bridge [NAT] (1) TQ 867446. A brick bridge on ragstone foundations built by Constables of the Hundred of Iron and Calshill with a date stone adjacent to the bridge on the NW side. The earlier text gives the date as 168(3?) and the later text states that it was rebuilt in 1846. (2)

From the Register of Scheduled Monuments:
Brick bridge on ragstone foundations. The bridge itself is no masterpiece but is accurately dated by an inscribed stone, adjacent to the bridge on the NW side. The earlier text dates the bridge to 168(3?), built by the constables of the Hundreds of Iron and Coleshill and the later text, on the back of the stone, dated the rebuilt part to 1846.(3)

List entry Description
Summary of Monument
Sherway Bridge, 312m SSW of Sherway Cottages.



Reasons for Designation
Medieval and early post-medieval single span bridges are structures designed to carry a road or track over a river by means of a single arch, typically 3m-6m in span. They were constructed throughout the medieval period, most commonly using timber. Stone began to be used instead of timber in the 12th century and became increasingly common in the 14th and 15th centuries. Many medieval bridges were repaired, modified or extensively rebuilt in the post-medieval period. 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. Bridges were common and important features of medieval and post-medieval towns and the countryside and allowed easy access along a well developed road and trackway system.

Despite late alterations and additions, Sherway Bridge survives well with a significant amount of 17th century masonry work. Deposits buried underneath the bridge will preserve valuable artefactual, ecofactual and environmental evidence, shedding a light on 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 8 September 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 17th century single-span bridge situated over the River Sherway, east of Headcorn in the Low Weald.

The bridge is constructed of ragstone with a later brick parapet. An inscribed stone on the north-west side of the bridge records that it was built by the constables of the Hundreds of Iron and Calehill in 1683. A further inscription, on the back of the stone, states that it was partly rebuilt in 1846. (4)

<1> OS 1:10000 1972 (OS Card Reference). SKE48157.

<2> DOE (IAM) Rec Form 7 12 79 (OS Card Reference). SKE40723.

<3> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<4> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading