Stoke Canon Bridge And Causeway

Stoke Canon Bridge and Causeway is a road bridge over the River Exe, likely rebuilt in the 15th century from an earlier medieval structure, and widened and partially rebuilt in the early 19th century. It is constructed from ashlar and dressed Tharveton stone. The bridge features three spans over the main river, with three chamfered segmental arches and piers that have cutwaters on both the upstream and downstream sides. There is also a double-chamfered, two-centred flood arch to the north. The east side of the flood arch and both sides of the main stream arches were widened in the early 19th century, incorporating unchamfered segmental arches with stringcourses above at road level, while still maintaining elements of the medieval bridge.

To the south, a long causeway includes two early 19th-century flood arches and a mill race arch at its southern end, all featuring segmental arches without stringcourses above. The bridge has low parapets with saddle-back coping, which have been replaced with concrete in some areas. Historical records indicate that in 1326, Bishop Stapledon contributed £4 for the bridge's upkeep. In the 17th century, Ogilby noted a bridge with nine arches and an additional arch at the north end, which he referred to as "Swine Bridge." In 1809, County Surveyor James Green reported three main arches, one flood arch to the northeast, three to the southwest, and an arch over the mill water, noting that the carriageway was 10.5 feet wide and that "the whole bridge requires considerable repair." This suggests that repairs and widening likely occurred shortly after 1809.