Bow Bridge

Bow Bridge is a road bridge over the Abbey River, dating from the medieval period, with widening that likely occurred in the 18th or 19th century and 20th-century parapets. It is constructed of slatestone rubble and features two narrow straight-sided openings with 2-centred arches made of rubble voussoirs. The west face includes a cutwater on the central pier, and its abutments are canted, while the east face has a similar arrangement but without canting.

The downstream (west) half of the bridge is the oldest part and suggests a hump-backed design, with a carriageway narrower than the approach road and refuges on each side. It is evident from underneath that the bridge was later widened by adding to the upstream (east) side in a similar manner. The soffits of the widened arch show differences from the original, with visible log holes indicating how the centering for the arches was constructed. In recent times, the roadway on each side has been raised to eliminate the hump, the parapets have been rebuilt with half-round tops, and the refuges have been removed.

This charming little bridge is likely a remnant of the pre-Reformation Hartland Abbey. The earliest known reference to Bow Bridge dates back to 1682, although it may also be mentioned in 1605-1606 when "the governors of the church goods" paid Francis Bremelcombe for expenses related to repairing Abbey Bridge.