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Description: | THE HIGH BRIDGE IS ORIGINALLY MEDIEVAL BUT IS MUCH RESTORED. ON THE E SIDE A PROJECTION CARRIED A MEDIEVAL CHAPEL OF ST THOMAS BECKET UNTIL IT WAS DEMOLISHED IN 1762. THE W SIDE CARRIES A ROW OF 16TH CENTURY SHOPS AND HOUSES (UNIQUE IN ENGLAND). {1}
THE BRIDGE WAS CALLED HIGH BRIDGE TO DISTINGUISH IT, THE PRINCIPAL BRIDGE IN LINCOLN, FROM THE OTHER BRIDGES TO THE SOUTH SUCH AS GOWT'S BRIDGE, THE BARGATE BRIDGE OVER SINCIL DYKE AND BRACEBRIDGE. THE EARLIEST REFERENCE TO A 'PONS MAGNA' (GREAT OR HIGH BRIDGE) OCCURS IN 1146 ALTHOUGH IT IS DOUBTFUL THAT ANY PART OF THE PRESENT BRIDGE IS AS OLD AS THIS. THE OLDEST PART OF THE PRESENT BRIDGE IS ABOUT 1160. THE BRIDGE IS ESSENTIALLY ONE ARCH OF ABOUT 22 FEET WIDE, GIVING A WATERWAY OF ABOUT 20 FEET, BUT THE EARLY BRIDGE WAS EXTENDED TO BOTH EAST AND WEST AT VARIOUS TIMES TO CARRY MORE TRAFFIC AND MORE BUILDINGS. THE BRIDGE IS THE ONLY SURVIVING EXAMPLE IN THIS COUNTRY OF WHAT WAS ONCE A COMMONPLACE, A MEDIEVAL BRIDGE LINED WITH SHOPS LIKE OLD LONDON BRIDGE. THERE WAS A CHAPEL ON THE BRIDGE BUILT SOMETIME BETWEEN 1173- 1200, AND DEDICATED TO ST THOMAS THE MARTYR, THE CHAPEL WAS PULLED DOWN IN 1763. THE MEDIEVAL FISH MARKET WAS AT HIGH BRIDGE, BETWEEN THE STONEBOW AND THE BRIDGE, AND THIS WAS MOVED IN 1849. {2} | Subjects: | General Archaeology | Temporal: | 1066 - 1539 | Source: | Lincolnshire County Council | Identifier: | http://www.lincstothepast.com/Records/Re... | Go to resource |
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