The first bridges were probably of felled trees lain across the river (Stockbridge and Trowbridge both refer to tree trunk bridges) and then of worked timber.
The Romans built bridges in wood, and probably stone, but none remain in Britain. The oldest surviving timber bridge is over the River Ouse at Selby and dates from 1790.
The first simple stone bridges - clapper bridges comprise large slabs of stone rested on stone piers to span a stream or small river. Tarr Steps, which crosses the River Barle in Somerset, is the longest with 17 spans supporting stone slabs 5 feet wide. It is too narrow for carts but Pont Sarnddu in Carnarvonshire is ten feet across and wide enough for vehicles.
Packhorse bridges, small arched bridges, with very low parapets so as not to get in the way of the horse's panniers, can still be found for example at Wycoller in Lancashire, Moulton in Suffolk, and Fifehead Neville, Dorset.
More sophisticated stone bridges were built abundantly in the 13th century, the use of timber continued into the 16th century. The river Skell at Fountains Abbey, Yorkshire, is crossed by probably the oldest arched bridge in England. Thirteenth to fourteenth century bridges can be recognised by their pointed arches and by the V-shaped extensions over the cutwaters for pedestrian refuges. These were superseded by bridges which were ribbed under the arches (14/15century), and those with semi-circular arches.
But all of these styles are modified by the needs and knowledge of the locality. In the early eighteenth century Daniel Defoe observed "...the Nyd, smaller then the Wharfe, but furiously rapid, and very dangerous to pass in many places, especially upon sudden rains. Notwithstanding, such lofty high built bridges are as not to be seen over such small rivers in any other place".
Masonry arch and cast iron bridges derive from the late 18th and 19th centuries. Bridges were usually made from local materials. In the eastern counties they were first built with timber and then brick.
Egginton lies 4½ miles north-east of Burton-on-Trent and 8 miles south west of Derby. The village is almost surrounded by water as the Egginton and Hilton Brooks, the River Dove and the River Trent all flow close by.
The River Dove which separates Egginton from Staffordshire is spanned by two bridges, the preserved medieval Monk's Bridge and Brindley's twelve arched aqueduct completed around 1777 to carry the Trent & Mersey Canal across the river. These bridges are now separated from the village by the A38 dual carriageway.
About half a mile south east the Derby to Birmingham railway also crosses the river by a bridge, constructed of wood.
By Road: Off the A38 north of Burton on Trent.
Addison, Sir William. The Old Roads of England ISBN 0 7134 1714 5 (1980)
Albert, W. The Turnpike Road System in England 1663- 1840. Camb. Univ. Press. ISBN O 5210 3391 8 (1972)
Harrison, David. The Bridges of Medieval England. Oxford. ISBN 978-0-19-922685-6 (2004)
Hindle, P. Roads and Tracks for Historians. ISBN 1 86077 182 3 (2001)
Hindley, G. History of the Roads. Peter Davies. ISBN 0 8065 0290 8 (1971)
Jackson, Gibbard. From Track to Highway. (1935)
Jervoise, E. Ancient Bridges of England. Architectural Press. (1932)
Sheldon, G. From Trackway to Turnpike. Oxfd. Univ. Press. (1928)
Taylor, C. Roads and Tracks of Britain. ISBN 0 460 04329 3 (1979)
Forgotten Relics - Listed Bridges and Viaducts
