Monument record MDO6600 - Roman Bridge, a footbridge over the river Jordan at Preston, Weymouth

A footbridge comprising a single arch built of stone with a cobbled footway. Of uncertain date; not Roman, but possibly built in the 16th century or later.

Listed building description describes the bridge as possibly sixteenth century or later, although referred to as Roman Bridge. Stone, with cobble footway. A single low segmental arch, with rough-shaped square voussoirs, carrying the footway immediately to the extrados; there are no parapets or balustrades. The bridge, of uncertain provenance, lies approx 30m N of the present main road, which is at a much higher level.

A small stone bridge crossing the River Jordan, at Preston, Weymouth known locally as a Roman bridge is certainly not as ancient and may date from late Medieval times. <2>

A small stone footbridge with 'humped back' 2.7m. wide and 4.7m. long bearing now positive dateable features. <3>

A roughly constructed stone rubble footbridge with a single arch; it preceded the road-bridge but its exact date is uncertain. <4>

The Bridge remains as desribed above, in good condition but overgrown with thick vegetation and bushes. <5>

SY 70288307. Medieval footbridge over the River Jordan, known as the 'Roman Bridge' . The stone-built bridge spans the river by a single segmental arch, forming a hunchback structure. It has no parapets or balustrades and the footway surface is cobbled. It is thought to date from the 16th century. <6>

SY 70288308. Scheduling amended. <7>

Ground photo with archive report. <8>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1903 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 70298308) Supposed (NAT) ROMAN BRIDGE ®

<2> Jervoise, E, 1930, The Ancient Bridges of the South of England, 88 (Monograph). SWX3998.

<3> Swatridge, G C, Various, Field Investigators Comments GCS, F1 GCS 30-JUL-54 (Unpublished document). SWX1169.

<4> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 362 (Monograph). SDO149.

'(304) Bridges, over the river Jordan, at Preston: road-bridge, 340 yds W.N.W. of the church, of rubble with a single segmental arch of ashlar, was built in the mid 19th century; foot-bridge, 30 yds. N. of the foregoing, is roughly constructed of rubble and has a single arch; it preceded the road-bridge but its exact date is uncertain.'

<5> Barton, J G, Various, Field Investigators Comments JGB, F2 JGB 10-JUL-80 (Unpublished document). SDO11900.

<6> English Heritage, English Heritage Scheduling Amendment, 15-JUL-2003 (Scheduling record). SDO17245.

<7> English Heritage, English Heritage Scheduling Amendment, 22-DEC-2003 (Scheduling record). SDO17245.

<8> English Heritage, English Heritage Alternative Action Report, KC Dec-2001 (Scheduling record). SDO18279.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 454287 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 27 2023 2:10PM