Listed Building record MDO8336 - Wool Bridge, Wool

A bridge of 16th-century date, though there are known to have been earlier bridges on the site. For example, there is a documentary reference to a bridge here in 1343. The bridge has six arches, one a later addition, and cutwaters which have been extended upwards to create refuges on both sides. The present bridge was repaired in 1607 and 1688, and this date and the initials ‘F T’ appear on a stone reset in modern brickwork. There were more repairs in the 19th century, and modern alterations include widening of the end arches and rebuilding of the parapets.

The bridge which crosses the River Frome is Elizabethan of five semi-circular arches, strongly ribbed underneath. Dividing each arcade is a triangular buttress forming a recess for pedestrians at the road level. <2>

Wool Bridge occurs as early as 1244 in the Assize Rolls, in the form of 'Wullebrigg'. <3>

Wool Bridge is as described. <4>

Wool Bridge over the River Frome is constructed of stone and is probably of the 16th century with repairs being carried out in
1607 and 1688. The bridge has five round arches each strengthened by three ribs, with cutwaters refuges between the arches on both sides; a sixth brick arch was built in the south approach causeway, probably in the late 19th century. Modern improvements have widened the end arches of the original bridge and the parapets have been rebuilt. <5>

SY 844 872. Wool Bridge. Scheduled. <7>

Wool Bridge is as previously described (see ground photographs); name in local usage. <8>

SY 84458715. The Wool Bridge, a stone-built, multi-span bridge over the River Frome at Wool. Scheduling amended. <9>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1902 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 8445 8715) Wool Bridge (NAT)

<2> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1925, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club for 1924-1925, xxxiv (Serial). SDO30.

‘SECOND SUMMER MEETING at Lulworth 26th July, 1924. . . . WOOL BRIDGE AND MANOR HOUSE were next visited, the HON. SECRETARY describing the former as having been repaired as early as 1344. It crosses the river diagonally and has six arches, flanked by four buttresses above and four below stream, the roadway being four paces wide. Both this and Holme Bridge have been scheduled. . . . ‘

<3> Fagersten, A, 1933, Place-names of Dorset, 145 (Monograph). SDO17521.

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 18-SEP-52 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<5> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 406 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(6) WOOL BRIDGE (½ m. N.N.W.) over the R. Frome is of stone (Plate 33). There was a medieval bridge here in 1343 (Cal. Inquisitions Misc. II, No. 1848, and Dorset Procs. XLVI (1925), xxxiv) but the existing bridge is probably of the 16th century; repairs were carried out in 1607 (Weymouth Municipal Records) and again in 1688 (D.C.R.O., Quarter Sessions Records), this date with the initials F.T. being inscribed on a stone now reset in modern brickwork.
The bridge has five round arches each strengthened by three ribs, with cutwaters supporting refuges between the arches on both sides; a sixth brick arch was built in the S. approach causeway, probably in the 19th century. Modern improvements have been carried out to widen the end arches of the original bridge and the parapets have been rebuilt.’

<6> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1:10,000 scale map, 1976 (Map). SDO17396.

(SY 8445 8715) Wood Bridge (NR)

<7> Department of the Environment, 1978, Department of the Environment (IAM) Ancient Monuments of England (Vol 2), 72 (Monograph). SWX1687.

<8> Attrill, N J, Field Investigators Comments NJA, F2 NJA 06-APR-81 (Unpublished document). SDO14743.

<9> English Heritage, English Heritage Scheduling Amendment, 07-MAR-2002 (Scheduling record). SDO17245.

<10> National Record of the Historic Environment, 455310 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Sep 8 2023 4:57PM