MSO8545 - Winsford Smithy Bridge (Building)

Summary

Winsford Smithy Bridge is a packhorse bridge of medieval origin over the Winn Brook, restored in 1952. It has a single semicircular arch.

Please read the Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record .

Type and Period (1)

Protected Status

Full Description

(SS 9055 3489) FB (NAT) [1] Winsford Smithy Bridge on the River Winn is a 17th Century packhorse bridge with one segmental arch and a roadway width of 4 feet 6 inches. [2] Scheduled. [3] The bridge is as described above [see 11]. [4] Winsford Smithy Packhorse Bridge spans to Winn Brook at SS 9055 3488. It is as described by source 2 and is the most picturesque, interesting and important bridge in Winsford on the Winn Brook; it is not, however, scheduled as an ancient monument, this distinction being reserved for a very nondescript Bridge at SS 9062 3490 (SAM Som 197). [5] SS93SW WINSFORD CP WINSFORD VILLAGE 19/153 Packhorse bridge over Winn Brook at NGR SS 9055 3488 6.4.59 GV II Packhorse bridge over Winn Brook. Medieval in origin, restored 1952. Red sandstone random rubble, rubble voussoirs, hit and miss coping. Single span, semi-circular arch bridge. Remains of pebble pathway. Scheduled Ancient Monument (Somerset County No 197). (Photograph in NMR). [6] A replacement reinforced concrete arch bridge was built close by in 1928 and designed by Edward Stead, County Surveyor. The bridge has a stringcourse and level coping.The bridge is 12 feet in span. [7] SS 9055 3488. Medieval packhorse bridge over the Winn Brook. Listed Grade II and scheduled. The bridge with SAM No 197 is in fact a different bridge (See MSO8547), further to the east. Monument scheduled on 11 August 2003. [9] There has been confusion as to the scheduled status of this site and whether it was Monument Somerset 197. [10] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 4. [14] The building was visited in March 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 5A. [15] The site was surveyed in March 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 3. [16] A packhorse bridge crossing the River Winn of a medieval date and also an Ancient Monument, but much smaller and lower than MSO8541 to the north with a shallow arched single span, mainly of red sandstone rubble with end-on bedded coping, and some dressed stone to abutment and voussoir. It was restored in 1952. [17] An historic photograph of the bridge is held by Winsford Archive. [19] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [20]

Sources/Archives (20)

  • <1> Map: Ordnance Survey. 1854-1901. County Series; 1st Edition 25 Inch Map. 1:2500. 1904.
  • <2> Monograph: Thompson, W.H.. 1934. Somerset Regional Survey. 57.
  • <3> Index: Ministry of Works. 1961. List of Ancient Monuments of England and Wales. 84.
  • <4> Unpublished document: PITCHER, GHP. 1960s. Field Investigators Comments. Ordnance Survey Field Investigation, F1, 11 August 1965.
  • <5> Unpublished document: Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England. Field Investigators Comment. CF Wardale, 8 July 1986.
  • <6> Index: 2/1/1986. Thirty-fifth List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, District of West Somerset (Somerset)/Exmoor National Park.
  • <7> Monograph: Greenfield, D.. 1998. Somerset's Early Reinforced Concrete Bridges.
  • <8> Monograph: Jervoise, E.. 1930. The Ancient Bridges of the South of England. Architectural Press. 110.
  • <9> Unpublished document: English Heritage. 20/8/2003. English Heritage to Somerset County Council.
  • <10> Verbal communication: Various. 1900-. Somerset County Council / South West Heritage Trust staff comments. Chris Webster, Somerset County Council, 26 August 2003.
  • <11> Photograph: Pitcher, S.. 1965. WINSFORD SMITHY BRIDGE - 17TH CENTURY PACKHORSE BRIDGE AT WINSFORD FROM NORTH WEST. OS65/F185/7. B/W. MICROFILM.
  • <12> Photograph: Unknown. 1986. From North. 99/E/13. B/W. Negative.
  • <13> Photograph: Unknown. 1986. From South.One Segmental Arch.See Also Ao65/185/7. 99/E/14. B/W. Negative.
  • <14> Report: Bray, L.S.. 2010. Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment 2009, Exmoor National Park.
  • <15> Report: Lawrence, G.. 2014. Exmoor National Park: Rapid condition survey of listed buildings 2012-13.
  • <16> Report: Gent, T. and Manning, P.. 2015. Exmoor National Park Scheduled Monument Condition Survey 2015. Archaedia.
  • <17> Report: Fisher, J.. 2005. Winsford: Village Character Appraisal. 14-15.
  • <18> Leaflet: Various. 2004. A Winsford Anthology. Image: 19.
  • <19> Archive: Winsford History Society. Various. Winsford Archive.
  • <20> Digital archive: Historic England. Various. National Record of the Historic Environment (NRHE) entry. 36700, Extant 8 May 2022.

External Links (1)

Other Statuses/References

  • 2012-3 Building At Risk Score (5A): 1076/19/153
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO10785
  • Exmoor National Park HER Number (now deleted): MSO12000
  • Local List Status (Rejected)
  • National Monuments Record reference: SS 93 SW2
  • National Park: Exmoor National Park
  • NRHE HOB UID (Pastscape): 36700
  • Somerset SMR PRN (Somerset): 34637
  • Somerset SMR PRN: 31286

Map

Location

Grid reference Centred SS 9054 3488 (2m by 7m) MasterMap
Map sheet SS93SW
Civil Parish WINSFORD, WEST SOMERSET, SOMERSET

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (0)

Related Events/Activities (4)

Related Articles (1)

Record last edited

May 8 2022 9:22PM

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