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Monument details

HER Number:TQ 56 NW 169
Type of record:Listed Building
Name:EYNSFORD BRIDGE

Summary

Grade II listed building. Main construction periods 1600 to 1699. Bridge - 17th cent


Grid Reference:TQ 53998 65534
Map Sheet:TQ56NW
Parish:EYNSFORD, SEVENOAKS, KENT

Monument Types

  • BRIDGE (Post Medieval to Modern - 1600 AD to 2050 AD)
Protected Status:Listed Building (II) 1222305: EYNSFORD BRIDGE; Scheduled Monument 1005170: Eynsford Bridge

Full description

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The following text is from the original listed building designation:
EYNSFOFD RIVERSIDE 1. 5280
TQ 5365 11/75 Eynsford Bridge TQ 5465 12/75 1.6.67 II GV 2. Small C17 bridge of 2 round-headed arches of stone with a pointed cutwater between on the upstream side and a rectangular recess on the down stream side. Later flint and brick parapet over. A mediaeval figure, probably an angel, with hands upraised is inserted between the sashes on the southern side. Ford adjoins to south-west. See 'The Ancient Bridges of the South of England' by E Jervoise p31. A.M. Listing NGR: TQ5399865534 (1)

Description from record TQ 56 NW 82 :
[TQ 539 655] Eynsford Bridge. Scheduled 52. (2) Eynsford Bridge, Grade II, Riverside. Small 17th century bridge. (For full description see list.) (3) Bridge. Across the road from the church, a pretty stone bridge, over the river Darent, believed by Jervoise to be no older than the 17th century. (4) At Eynsford there is a stone bridge with two arches which may date from the 17th century. Built of Kentish ragstone with brick and rubble parapet walls. (5-6) Eynsford over the Darent. 17th century. Kentish ragstone with some brick. Two low round arches with cutwater between. (7)

A stone bridge with two round arches which may date from 17th century. A medieval figure, probably an angel with hands upraised?, is inserted between the arches in S side. The ‘angle’ figure is too eroded to identify, It has, however, a flate top and appears to be a corbel, possible supporting an image, now removed. This would support a medieval dating for the stone part of the structure, even if the upper part of the bridge is C17th. The corbel head and hands are still visible, though much eroded. (8)


From the National Heritage List for England:

List entry Description
Summary of Monument
Eynsford Bridge, 83m north-west of the Church of St Martin.

Reasons for Designation
Multi-span bridges are structures of two or more arches supported on piers. They were constructed throughout the medieval and post-medieval periods 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 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 bridges have been altered in later centuries, original features are sometimes concealed behind later stonework, including remains of earlier timber bridges.

Despite some later alterations, Eynsford Bridge is a well preserved example of a multi-span bridge dating from at least the 17th century. 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 18 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 multi-span stone bridge, dating from at least the 17th century, spanning the River Darent at Eynsford. It carries the road known as Riverside over the Darent.

The bridge includes two round-headed arches built of Kentish ragstone. Between the arches is a pointed cutwater on the upstream (southern) side and a rectangular recess, forming a pedestrian refuge, on the downstream (northern) side. The parapet is a later alteration and is built of flint and red brick. On the southern side of the bridge is a weathered medieval figure, probably an angel, with hands upraised.

Eynsford Bridge is Grade II listed.(8)


<1> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<2> DOE (IAM) Anc Mons in Eng 1971 115 (OS Card Reference). SKE40708.

<3> HHR (DOE) Dist of Sevenoaks Kent 1982 27 (OS Card Reference). SKE43759.

<4> The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 280 (OS Card Reference). SKE50227.

<5> The Ancient Bridges of the South of England 1930 31 (E Jervoise) (OS Card Reference). SKE49927.

<6> British Bridges 1933 139 illus (Johnson and Giles) (OS Card Reference). SKE38391.

<7> The National Trust Book of Bridges 1984 46 (JM Richards) (OS Card Reference). SKE50441.

<8> English Heritage, Register of Scheduled Monuments (Scheduling record). SKE16191.

<9> Historic England, National Heritage List for England (Index). SKE29372.

Sources and further reading

Cross-ref. Source description
<1>XYMap: English Heritage. List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest. [Mapped feature: #30321 building, ]
<2>OS Card Reference: DOE (IAM) Anc Mons in Eng 1971 115.
<3>OS Card Reference: HHR (DOE) Dist of Sevenoaks Kent 1982 27.
<4>OS Card Reference: The Buildings of England West Kent and the Weald 1980 280.
<5>OS Card Reference: The Ancient Bridges of the South of England 1930 31 (E Jervoise).
<6>OS Card Reference: British Bridges 1933 139 illus (Johnson and Giles).
<7>OS Card Reference: The National Trust Book of Bridges 1984 46 (JM Richards).
<8>Scheduling record: English Heritage. Register of Scheduled Monuments.
<9>Index: Historic England. National Heritage List for England.