Wetherby Bridge (Over River Wharfe) With Attached War Memorial

The bridge over the River Wharfe at Wetherby, with an attached war memorial, has origins in the 13th century, with substantial rebuilding in the 17th century. The bridge was widened in 1773 and again in 1826 to a design by Bernard Hartley and Son, while the war memorial dates to circa 1920 and was designed by E. F. Roslyn. The construction materials are ashlar and rock-faced sandstone and gritstone, with a bronze war memorial statue.

The bridge is a large structure with six segmentally-arched spans, and the war memorial is attached at the north end on the east side. The upstream (west) side features segmental arches springing from pronounced triangular cutwaters topped with half-pyramidal piers, rising to the parapet. The walling between these cutwaters is rock-faced, with an ashlar parapet wall. The downstream side, dating to 1826, is made of rock-faced gritstone, with battered piers rising from triangular cutwaters, dividing the arches which have raised keystones; an ashlar parapet runs along the top. A large battered pier on the right side serves as the base for the war memorial. Examination of the soffits of the two northernmost arches reveals three distinct phases of construction; the narrow central section of the bridge is round-arched with ribs at the imposts, potentially of 13th-century origin, although described as “newly turned” in 1752. The soffits of the two southernmost arches display pointed central sections. The war memorial consists of a rectangular ashlar pedestal with plaques recording the names of those lost in the Great War, flanked by seated bronze lions. Bronze statues of Victory, holding a sword and a laurel wreath, surmount the lions.

Records from 1233 mention contributions toward the construction of a bridge at Wetherby, and in 1281, patent rolls of Edward II noted the right of pontage (the right to collect tolls for using the bridge). The bridge was rebuilt following destruction by floods in the 17th century, and continually repaired throughout the following century due to increased traffic and further flood damage. The structure is a Scheduled Ancient Monument.