Clay Bridge

FULNETBY

481/0/10009 BULLINGTON 15-JUN-07 CLAY BRIDGE

II Bridge, 1825, built by J.S.Padley, county surveyor. Brick and stone.

PLAN AND ELEVATIONS: This is a double carriageway, single span bridge with brick parapet with stone coping. The parapets sweep round in a curve, terminating in a stone capped brick pier at either end. The stone voussoirs on both sides are carved with abstract or almost floral designs. The fabric around the arches in both elevations has been repaired in places by the insertion of modern bricks, and there is a metal tie running through the structure from north to south at its east end. The north face is also supported to the east of the arch by concrete buttresses which are free standing, and not keyed into the structure of the bridge.

HISTORY: Clay Bridge was built in 1825 by J.S.Padley, the county surveyor, and is similar in design to White Bridge, the next bridge to the west. Both were part of a programme of bridge rebuilding on the Lincoln to Horncastle Turnpike, now the A158, of which two others, Langworth Bridge and Hatton Bridge, the latter also designed by Padley, still survive: this programme is well documented. The Lincoln to Horncastle Turnpike was established in the mid C18. The bridge was by-passed by the A158 in 1969, when the road was re-routed to the south, and the bridge is now on a minor road, but still carries traffic.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: Clay Bridge is a substantially intact early C19 structure which features some curious and distinctive ornamental stone carving on its arches. This carving is similar to that on White Bridge, immediately to the west, but appears to be otherwise unique in this context. Clay Bridge is also of local historical interest as one of several bridges designed by the early C19 County Surveyor J.S.Padley.

SOURCES: Information from applicant on file

Bogart, Dan. 2004. Turnpike trusts and the transportation revolution in 18th century England. Article on website: www.sciencedirect.com/