Stainforth Bridge
{{Short description|Packhorse bridge in North Yorkshire, England}}
{{Use British English|date=March 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}}
{{Infobox bridge
| name = Stainforth Bridge
| image = Stainforth Packhorse Bridge and the River Ribble - geograph.org.uk - 433333.jpg
| alt = A single-span arched stone bridge over a watercourse
| caption = Stainforth Bridge
| coordinates = {{Coord|54.100|-2.280|display=inline, title}}
| os_grid_reference = SD818672
| qid = Q26425276
| refs = {{cite map|title =Forest of Bowland & Ribblesdale |map =OL41 |year = 2018|scale =1:25,000 |series =Explorer |publisher =Ordnance Survey |isbn =978-0-319-24280-3 }}{{cite thesis |last1=Scott |first1=Gillian |title=Sedimentology of the Mid-Visean limestones of the southern part of the Askrigg Block, North Yorkshire |publisher=University of Southampton |location=Southampton |date=1984|page=110|oclc=1303707335}}{{cite book |editor1-last=Rennison |editor1-first=R. W. |title=Civil engineering heritage: Northern England |date=1996 |publisher=Thomas Telford |location=London |isbn=07277-2518-1 |page=157 |edition=2}}
| carries =
| crosses = River Ribble
| locale = Stainforth, North Yorkshire, England
| other_name = Stainforth Packhorse Bridge
Knight Stainforth Bridge
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| length = {{convert|17.4|m|order=flip}}
| width = {{convert|7|ft|2|in}}{{#tag:ref|At its widest point|name=Width|group=note}}
| height = {{convert|5.3|m}}{{#tag:ref|The height is measured from the centre of the arch above normal water level. |name=measurement|group=note}}
| number_spans = 1
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| open = {{circa|1675}}
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Stainforth Bridge, (also known as Stainforth packhorse bridge and Knight Stainforth bridge) is a 17th century, arched packhorse bridge over the River Ribble in Stainforth, North Yorkshire, England. The bridge was formerly on the main packhorse road between York and Lancaster, which has been superseded by later roads. It was in private ownership until the 1930s, when it was taken on by the National Trust. It is now a grade II listed structure and provides access to Stainforth Force, which is just below the bridge.
History
The bridge was built by Samuel Watson {{circa|1675}},{{#tag:ref|Various dates have been given for the building of the bridge; 1670, 1675, late 17th century.{{cite book |last1=Wright |first1=Geoffrey N. |title=The Yorkshire Dales |date=1986 |publisher=David & Charles |location=Newton Abbot |isbn=0715387022 |page=191}} The hall was built in 1670 and the bridge a few years afterwards, so the dates have been confused.{{sfn|Wright|1985|p=97}}{{cite news |last1=Reid |first1=Mark |title=Settle to Giggleswick |url=https://infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWGLNB&t=&sort=YMD_date%3AD&fld-base-0=alltext&maxresults=20&val-base-0=%22Stainforth%20Bridge%22&docref=news/114986DE17DDA268 |access-date=28 February 2022 |work=infoweb.newsbank.com |date=6 October 2006|url-access=subscription}}|name=year|group=note}} a local Quaker who owned Knight Stainforth Hall, a Jacobean house which was nearby.{{cite book |last1=Scholes |first1=Ron |title=Yorkshire Dales. |date=2006 |publisher=Landmark |location=Ashbourne |isbn=1843062097 |page=66 |edition=3}}{{cite news |last1=Moore |first1=Lindsey |title=Damaged 17th century bridge is closed to traffic |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/news/14527947.damaged-17th-century-bridge-is-closed-to-traffic/ |access-date=27 February 2022 |work=Craven Herald |date=1 June 2016}}{{cite book |last1=Speakman |first1=Colin |title=Walking in the Yorkshire Dales |date=1982 |publisher=R. Hale |location=London |isbn=0709196172 |page=88}} Previous to this, the site was a ford which was impassable during times of flood, and a local legend suggests that the crossing was used by the Romans.{{cite book |last1=Mitchell |first1=W. R. |title=The story of the Yorkshire Dales |date=1999 |publisher=Phillimore |location=Chichester |isbn=1860770886 |page=71}}{{cite news |editor-last1=Dawson |editor-first1=Geoffrey |editor-link=Geoffrey Dawson|title=A Yorkshire bridge |work=The Times |issue=45936 |date=24 September 1931 |page=9|issn=0140-0460}} The bridge carries a minor road, Dog Hill Brow, over the river connecting Knight and Little Stainforth.{{cite news |last1=Quantrill |first1=Tim |title=A walk in spectacular scenery |url=https://www.cravenherald.co.uk/daleslife/walking/11527392.a-walk-in-spectacular-scenery/ |access-date=27 February 2022 |work=Craven Herald |date=10 October 2014 }} Besides being a Medieval road linking York and Lancaster, and a monastic route taken by monks between their houses in Yorkshire and the Lake District, the route was also a packhorse road connecting Clapham with Malham.{{sfn|Wright|1985|p=107}}{{sfn|Hartley|1991|p=117}} A covenant was drawn up in the year of the bridge's building stating that people on foot, or with carts and cattle, had "free passage between the towns of Knight Stainforth and Stainforth Under Bargh."{{cite web |last1=Asher |first1=Jean |title=Samuel Watson (c1618-1708)of Knight Stainforth Hall,Quaker. |url=http://www.northcravenheritage.org.uk/NCHTJto2009/Journals/2009/Quakers/Quakersweb.html |website=www.northcravenheritage.org.uk |access-date=27 February 2022}} The bridge was built by using tradesmen from Stainforth-under-Bargh (now the main village of Stainforth), and in return, the people of Stainforth were afforded full usage rights, as the bridge was also a necessity locally.{{sfn|Hartley|1991|p=92}}
Both of the bridge abutments are set into solid rock and the bridge itself is {{convert|17.4|m}} long and {{convert|5.3|m}} at its highest point above the normal water level.{{cite web |title=Stainforth Packhorse Bridge |url=http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=517 |website=engineering-timelines.com |access-date=20 March 2022}} At its widest point, it reaches {{convert|7|ft|2|in}}.{{cite book |editor1-last=Rennison |editor1-first=R. W. |title=Civil engineering heritage: Northern England |date=1996 |publisher=Thomas Telford |location=London |isbn=07277-2518-1 |page=158 |edition=2}} The limestone that the bridge is built on, is part of the Kilnsey Limestone, which is younger than the Chapel House limestone underneath Stainforth Force, which is only {{convert|100|yard}} below the bridge.{{cite book |last1=Speight |first1=Harry |title=Craven and the north west yorkshire highlands |date=1892 |publisher=Elliot Stock |location=London |page=134|oclc=650329471}}{{cite web |title=Stories in Stone; Settle and Stainforth |url=https://www.storiesinstone.org.uk/Portals/0/adam/Image%20Link/L-RkjmhbDkuIQHtI0zXwFQ/Link/Settle%20and%20Stainforth%20V8%20170119.pdf |website=storiesinstone.org.uk |access-date=20 March 2022 |page=1}}
On 23 September 1931, the bridge went from private ownership into the National Trust, helped by an endowment by the previous owners. Doubts had been expressed about the structure after heavy motor vehicles had been using it, causing the bridge to be weakened.{{cite news |editor-last1=Dawson |editor-first1=Geoffrey |editor-link=Geoffrey Dawson|title=A Yorkshire bridge |work=The Times |issue=45935 |date=23 September 1931 |page=15|issn=0140-0460}} It was thought that the National Trust could enforce restrictions on heavy goods vehicles more effectively than private owners.
The bridge was registered in 1988 by Historic England as a Grade II listed structure under the name of Knight Stainforth Bridge.{{NHLE|desc= Knight Stainforth Bridge|num= 1166894 |grade=II|access-date=27 February 2022}}
Notes
{{reflist|group="note"}}
References
{{reflist}}
=Sources=
{{commons category|Knight Stainforth Bridge}}
- {{cite book |last1=Hartley |first1=Marie |title=The Yorkshire Dales |date=1991 |publisher=Smith Settle |location=Otley |isbn=1870071727}}
- {{cite book |last1=Wright |first1=Geoffrey Norman |title=Roads and trackways of the Yorkshire Dales |date=1985 |publisher=Moorland |location=Ashbourne |isbn=0861901231}}
Category:Bridges across the River Ribble
Category:Stone bridges in England
Category:Road bridges in England
Category:Grade II listed bridges