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]

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

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]

References

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  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.