Bridge Over Avenue Ponds

The bridge over Avenue Ponds, located in Temple Newsam Park, was built in 1714 by William Etty of York. It features a coursed stone string course and an ashlar parapet with plain stone coping, supported by large square piers at either end that have heavy moulded caps. The bridge spans where the East Avenue crosses Avenue Ponds and is designed like a dam wall, complete with a sluice at the center that has an elliptical arch on the south side. Although the parapet on the south side has collapsed, the end piers remain, though the capstones are missing from the northwest and southeast piers. The current East Avenue, bridge, and ponds were initiated under Etty's direction and took five years to complete. This project reflects an early appreciation for natural landscape beauty, which later influenced the pastoral style of Capability Brown, who was commissioned for further improvements in 1762. The mouldings on the bridge are similar to those found at Castle Howard.