Clapper Bridge at SX3518165252

The Clapper Bridge is a 16th-century multi-span bridge over the River Lynher, which may incorporate elements of an earlier medieval clapper bridge on the site. It has been partly rebuilt, possibly in the 19th century.

Constructed from stone rubble and moorstone, the bridge is oriented northeast to southwest across the river. The original clapper bridge structure, made from large stone slabs, may still be present within and beneath the current multi-span bridge.

The bridge features three round arches with spans of 2 meters and 3 meters, constructed with dressed stone and granite voussoirs, and granite keystones. A string-course marks the impost line where each arch springs from the piers and abutments, which may date back to the earlier clapper bridge. The cutwaters between the arches, partly made of granite, rise to form angled refuges on the northwest side, while the cutwaters on the southeast side have been partly replaced with buttresses. At the south end, there is a fourth span that may date to the 19th century, featuring a granite lintel.

The stone rubble parapets have chamfered granite copings secured with iron cramps and are splayed over the abutments. Each parapet displays a 19th-century iron plaque that warns that the bridge is insufficient to carry weights beyond ordinary traffic and advises that consent from the county surveyor is required for locomotives to cross.