WARKWORTH OLD BRIDGE

"Warkworth must be approached from the north. With its bridge, its bridge-tower, then Bridge Street at an angle joining the main street up a hill to the towering, sharply cut block of the keep, it is one the most exciting sequences of views one can have in England."

The Buildings Of England. Northumberland. Nikolas Pevsner. 1992.

The bridge is late 14th century and is one of only two incorporating a fortified bridge tower, later a tollhouse, situated at the south end. It is only 11 feet wide and has pedestrian refuges built above the triangular cutwaters. There are two arches and the roadway is cobbled. The bridge is now only for use by pedestrians since the opening of the new bridge and it is Grade 2 listed. It replaced a previous stone bridge on this site. The medieval castle was begun in the 12th century, probably replacing an earlier castle of timber dating from Saxon times. It stands on a mound at the top of the hill with views down Castle Street to the Norman church of St Laurence. There are also fine views of the River Coquet to the west.

The village is built in a loop in the river and it has many attractive buildings with a market cross at the bottom of Castle Street. There is a footpath along the river bank giving views of the castle as its bends are negotiated and it leads eventually to the 14th century Hermitage, a unique cave cut out of the rock in the cliff with stairs to the chapel, and reached by ferry across the river. The tidal limit is at the old mill-weir by the Hermitage.

Warkworth Old Bridge

Constructed - 1379
Type - arch, 2 span, stone.
Position: Warkworth, Northumberland.
Grid Ref: NU 248 063

Warkworth Old Bridge