Great Barford
Great Barford Bridge

Places > Great Barford > Bridges

The first bridge was a bequest from Sir Gerard Braybrooke Kinight who in his will left a sum of 100, a very large sum in those days for that the briddge of Berford in Bedfordshyr be perfourmed and finysshed with my goods. The lower stonework of the present bridge is said to date back to this time. I.e. the 15th century. By 1440 and again 1462 this new bridge was being cited by the Burgesses as one of the main reasons for their loss of trade and consequent poverty as trade, which had previously come to them, was being diverted to other market towns.

When the river was made navigable in the 17th century, extra arches were added to the Great Barford bank on two occasions. Increasing use of the turnpike road led to a widening of the bridge in 1818. Following a collapse of a bridge at Broom under the weight of a traction engine in 1873 several of the countys bridges were strengthened. At Great Barford the timber was replaced by the present decorative brick widening in 1874.

Sources:

• The Newspaper Cuttings collection, Local Studies Library, Bedford Central Library

Great Barford Bridge, Great Barford by Bedfordshire Libraries, 2011

Page last updated: 28th January 2014