Bickleigh Bridge, Devon
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Visit websiteThe attractive village of Bickleigh nestles in a steep-sided stretch of the Exe valley four miles downstream from Tiverton. At its heart is a sturdy stone bridge that straddles the Exe on the A396 road to Exeter.
The bridge that now stands was built in 1809 following severe flood damage to the existing structure. Perhaps the new bridge was wide enough for the transport of the time, but the roadway cannot accommodate more than a single lane of modern day traffic, and with no pavement for pedestrians the bridge is a congestion bottleneck. The original bridge, dating from the late 16th century, may have been even narrower: Harding's 1845 History of Tiverton mentions that in 1772:
Bickleigh bridge of five arches, over the river Exe, was extensively repaired, at the expense of the parish, previously to which there is reason to believe, it was only a horse bridge.
By Road: It is crossed by the A396 in the village of Bickleigh, four miles south of Tiverton. The Fisherman's Cot Hotel is nearby on the west bank of the river.
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Forgotten Relics - Listed Bridges and Viaducts