Jock's Bridge

Jock's Bridge is an 18th-century road bridge that carries a minor road from Bishop Auckland to Binchester across the River Gaunless, just before it joins the River Wear. The east elevation of the bridge was partially rebuilt in the early 19th century.

The bridge is constructed of coursed rubble with an ashlar arch and dressings. It features a single-span design with abutments and short causeways at both ends. The bridge has a single elliptical arch on both elevations, which is made up of long, thin dressed voussoirs topped with a narrow archivolt and raised keystones.

On the western (downstream) elevation, there is a ramped, humpbacked string course and parapet that align with the slight rise in the road level towards the center of the bridge. In contrast, the string course and parapet on the eastern (upstream) elevation are both horizontal. Both parapets have V-shaped copings, but the western parapet is flanked by square end pillars with flat-topped caps that rise as pilasters through the causeways. The short wing walls beyond these pillars are lower and have rounded copings. The taller eastern parapet is also horizontal and features slightly smaller stonework.

Notably, the keystone on the eastern elevation, which is only visible from within the park, bears the inscription ‘SD | 1819’, referring to Shute Dunelm, or Bishop Shute Barrington of Durham. Both bridge abutments are plain and extend into short causeways at either end.