Building record MDO4128 - Bridge over River Cale, Kington Magna

ST 75722148. A rubble and ashlar-built bridge carrying the Shaftesbury - Sherborne Road over the River Cale has four segmental arches. On the south side the arches are 17th century but on the north side the bridge appears to have been rebuilt in 1792.

A causeway at ST 75812150, which connects with the bridge mentioned above, carries the road over the flood plain of the Cale and is probably of 18th century origin. The structure is of rubble, squared rubble and ashlar and comprises five arches of roughly two-centred form; the arches are now linked by early 19th century walls. (2)

The bridge was seen and photographed by J Rigg in 1955, but has now been completely demolished and a new bridge (to the north) carries the road over the diverted river. <3>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 75732148) Five Bridges (NAT)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 43 (Monograph). SDO99.

'(28) Bridge (75722148), carrying the Shaftesbury-Sherborne road across the R. Cale, is of rubble and ashlar and has four segmental-pointed arches.

On the S. side the arches are of the 17th century and have chamfered ashlar voussoirs with the chamfers dying into plain responds. (In April 1631 repairs to the bridge were ordered at Quarter Sessions.) On the N. side the arches have rubble voussoirs springing from ashlar responds and cut-waters, the latter with pyramidal heads; this side of the bridge appears to have been rebuilt in 1792 (contract, D.C.R.O.). Reset in the N. parapet wall is a stone inscribed 1670, probably recording the completion of repairs ordered at Quarter Sessions in July 1669.'

<3> Fletcher, Martin, Field investigator's comments MJF, F1 MJF 29-MAY-75 (Unpublished document). SDO17630.

<4> National Record of the Historic Environment, 202421 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 12 2022 8:12AM