Croston Mill Bridge

Road bridge, late C17, widened in the C18.

MATERIALS: sandstone

PLAN: a single-span bridge, aligned north-south over the River Yarrow.

DESCRIPTION: the single-span squared sandstone road bridge spans around 11.9m, and is laid out on a north-south axis over the River Yarrow. The east half of the bridge has a late-C17 segmental arch with a projecting hood mould, and one late-C17 stepped buttress set on the north and south bank. An C18 spandrel wall rises from the apex of the arch with three projecting masonry blocks (formerly five, two terminated) to provide additional structural support through the spandrel wall. The C18 west elevation has a simple segmental arch with voussoirs, and a string band set below and along the parapet and wing walls. The barrel arch and abutments have a central straight joint running south to north, which indicates where the bridge was doubled in width. The east half retains three stone corbels set in the abutment below the barrel arch, whilst the west half retains four projecting masonry blocks. The roadway is a concrete saddle and tarmac road with an C18 three coursed humped parapet with wing walls and saddleback coping. The inner east face of the parapet coping stones has the inscription ‘C C Croston Mill Bridge’ centrally inscribed. Three guard stones abut the inner parapet (two on the east side and one on the west).