Burnsall Bridge

{{Short description|Bridge in North Yorkshire, England}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2024}}

{{Use British English|date=June 2024}}

File:Burnsall Bridge on a fine summer day - geograph.org.uk - 3542952.jpg

Burnsall Bridge is a historic bridge across the River Wharfe in North Yorkshire, in England. The bridge connects the civil parishes of Burnsall and Hartlington.

A bridge across the river at Burnsall was in existence early by the 14th century. It was repaired in 1609 at the expense of William Craven, and again repaired in 1659, at a cost of £300.{{cite book |last1=Jervoise |first1=Edwin |title=The Ancient Bridges of the North of England |date=1931 |publisher=Society for the Protection of Ancient Buildings |location=London}} It was brought down during a flood in the summer of 1673, which destroyed many other bridges on the river.{{cite book |last1=Fletcher |first1=J. S. |title=A picturesque history of Yorkshire |volume=2 |date=1900 |publisher=J. M. Dent & Co |location=London}} The bridge was reconstructed, with funding from a charge levied across the West Riding of Yorkshire.{{cite book |last1=Harker |first1=B. J. |title=The Buxton of Yorkshire |date=1890 |publisher=John Heywood |location=Manchester |url=https://hebdenhistory.uk/harker1890.shtml |access-date=30 April 2024}} The bridge was again severely damaged in a flood in 1883, with a reconstructed bridge opening in 1885.{{cite news |title=Stories from our archives |url=https://www.wharfedaleobserver.co.uk/features/featuresnostalgia/8452651.stories-from-our-archives/ |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=Wharfedale Observer |date=14 October 2010}} It has been Grade II listed since 1954.{{NHLE |desc=Burnsall Bridge |num=1131738 |access-date=30 April 2024}} It is a much-photographed location, on a picturesque section of the river, and is crossed by the Dales Way.{{cite book |last1=Marsh |first1=Terry |title=Walking the Dales Way |date=2022 |publisher=Cicerone Press |isbn=9781783628759}}{{cite news |last1=Bennett |first1=Rory |title=The beautiful Yorkshire village where you're likely to be the only Londoner there |url=https://www.mylondon.news/lifestyle/travel/beautiful-yorkshire-village-youre-likely-23475926 |access-date=30 April 2024 |work=My London |date=26 March 2022}}

The narrow stone bridge is slightly hump-backed. It carries the B6160 road over the River Wharfe, and consists of five segmental arches, the outer arches smaller. It has triangular cutwaters rising to pedestrian refuges, a band, a parapet and end pilasters.{{cite book| last =Leach| first =Peter| last2 = Pevsner | first2 = Nikolaus | author2-link = Nikolaus Pevsner | series= The Buildings of England| title =Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North| publisher =Yale University Press | year =2009 | location =New Haven and London |isbn =978-0-300-12665-5}}