The Duchess' Bridge, Over River Aln

The Duchess' Bridge, built in 1864, spans the River Aln. It is constructed from rock-faced stone and features rock-faced-and-margined voussoirs, a band, and a parapet. The bridge has four segmental arches that decrease slightly in height from east to west. It includes bowed cutwaters with domed tops, an impost band, and a chamfered band below the parapet, which has chamfered coping and iron clamps linking the stone blocks. The parapets and short wing walls are supported by square end piers. The internal face of the south parapet displays a line of glinters and a central cast-iron plate that reads: 'TO ELEANOR / DUCHESS OF NORTHUMBERLAND / THE PUBLIC ARE CHIEFLY INDEBTED / FOR THIS STONE BRIDGE / AND FOOTPATH TO THE STATION / A.D. MDCCLXIV'. A similar plate on the north side states 'THE DUCHESS' BRIDGE 1864'. The bridge is partly located in Lesbury Civil Parish.