Eckington Bridge

Eckington Bridge
Coordinates52°04′45″N 2°06′54″W / 52.0793°N 2.1149°W / 52.0793; -2.1149
CarriesB4080
CrossesRiver Avon
LocaleEckington, Worcestershire, England
Heritage statusGrade II* listed building
Characteristics
No. of spans5
History
Construction startc. 1720
Location
Map

Eckington Bridge is a stone bridge over the River Avon in Eckington in the English county of Worcestershire. It is a Grade II* listed building and has been scheduled as an ancient monument.[1][2][3]

The first bridge at the site was built in 1440, replacing an earlier ferry, but this fell into disrepair and was replaced by the current stone bridge in the 1720s.[4][5] It consists of six arches built of red sandstone with the piers being protected by cutwaters.[6]

On the northern side of the bridge, slightly downstream, is a World War II pillbox.

During 2011 and 2012 repairs were undertaken by Worcestershire County Council at a cost of £240,000.[7]

Next to the bridge is Eckington Wharf, which is no longer used commercially but provides public moorings, a canoe launching slipway and picnic area.[8][9]

Aerial video of the bridge and river

The bridge is the subject of a poem by Arthur Quiller-Couch,[10] and a picture from 1929 by Walter J. Phillips.[11]

In 2022 a collision between two cars on the bridge caused damage and a car entered the river.[12] The driver of that car died.[13]

  1. ^ Historic England. "Eckington Bridge (1005264)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  2. ^ Historic England. "Eckington Bridge (1116724)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 5 April 2015.
  3. ^ "Eckington Bridge". historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  4. ^ "Eckington". Bredon Hill View. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  5. ^ William Page, J.W.Willis-Bund (editors) (1924). "Parishes: Eckington". A History of the County of Worcester: volume 4. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 10 August 2014. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ "Eckington Bridge". Pastscape. English Heritage. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  7. ^ "Eckington Bridge". Worcestershire County Council. Archived from the original on 12 August 2014. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  8. ^ "Eckington Wharf". CanalPlan. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  9. ^ "Eckington Wharf Picnic Place". Worcestershire County Council. Archived from the original on 30 December 2012. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  10. ^ Quiller-Couch, A.T. "Upon Eckington Bridge, River Avon". Poetry Archive. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  11. ^ Phillips, Walter J. "Eckington Bridge". Sharecom. Retrieved 10 August 2014.
  12. ^ Bagdi, Annabel (26 August 2022). "Car crashes through bridge and plunges into River Avon during 'serious' two-vehicle smash". Birmingham Live. Retrieved 26 August 2022.
  13. ^ "Man dies after car submerged in Worcestershire bridge crash". BBC News. 26 August 2022.