Second in the series of beautifully illustrated books guiding the reader on short tours focused on groups of medieval bridges in the landscape while providing descriptions, folklore, and unusual, interesting facts about each bridge.

Throughout history, rivers have been a hub for human settlement and have been a key part of local livelihoods, history, and culture, as well as still playing a present-day role in providing services and leisure to people who live around them. It is no coincidence that all four of the earliest human civilizations were formed on great rivers: the Nile, Euphrates, Indus, and Yellow rivers all saw great human aggregation along them. The most ancient and vital architectural structures linked to the use of rivers are bridges.

There are a wide variety of medieval bridge structures, ranging from some very simple in their construction to amazing triumphs of design and engineering comparable with the great churches of the period. They stand today as proof of the great importance of transport networks in the Middle Ages and of the size and sophistication of the medieval economy. These bridges were built in some of the most difficult places, across broad flood plains, deep tidal waters, and steep upland valleys, and they withstood all but the most catastrophic floods. Yet their beauty, from simplistic to ornate, remains for us to appreciate.

Medieval Bridges of Middle England has been organized geographically into tours and covers the governmental regions of East of England, East Midlands, and West Midlands. There are 63 bridges featured and beautiful full color photographs of each bridge are included. A brief history is incorporated with each bridge. Additionally, information about the construction, materials used, and unique features are related, as well as historically relevant documents and images. Directions to each bridge and local attractions are also given.

There are literally hundreds of bridges in England that meet the criteria for inclusion in this roll of honor for senior bridges. They vary vastly in size, style, and materials. Most are stone and a very few are brick. We have lost many of our older bridges to the ravages of time and the modern practice of culvertisation and urban development. A few of our older bridges remain though, and their beauty and pivotal role in our history is starting to be recognized.

• Cover
• Title
• Copyright
• Contents
• Foreword
• Introduction
  • Defining Medieval
  • Medieval Period Overview
  • Medieval Timeline
• Medieval Bridges
  • Criteria for Inclusion
  • Chronology and Dating
  • Bridges and Medieval Road Networks
  • The Gough Map
  • Basic Components of a Medieval Bridge
  • Medieval Bridges and the Church
  • Bridge Chapels
  • The Economics of Medieval Bridges
  • Medieval Bridge Types
  • Medieval Bridge Builders
  • The Construction Process
  • Major Rivers in England by Length
  • Longevity
  • List of Medieval Bridges in Middle England by Region and County
  • Historic England Listed Bridges and Structures
  • Scheduled Monuments
  • National Grid Reference Numbers
  • The Bridge Tours
  • The Star Rating System
• MEDIEVAL BRIDGES OF MIDDLE ENGLAND
• 1. BEDFORDSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Sutton Packhorse Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Great Barford Bridge ★★★
  • 3. Turvey Bridge ★★★★
  • 4. Harrold Bridge ★★
• 2. CAMBRIDGESHIRE & TRINITY TOUR
  • 1. Huntingdon Nun’s Bridge ★★
  • 2. Huntingdon Old Bridge ★★
  • 3. St Ives Bridge ★★★
  • 4. Spaldwick Bridge ★★
  • 5. Alconbury Bridge ★★★
  • LINCOLNSHIRE
  • 6. Trinity Triangular Bridge ★★★
• 3. DERBYSHIRE & OLD TRENT TOUR
  • 1. Bakewell Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Rowsley Bridge ★★
  • 3. Matlock Bridge ★★★
  • 4. Cromford Bridge ★★
  • 5. Mayfield Bridge ★★
  • 6. Dove Bridge ★★
  • 7. Monk’s Bridge ★★
  • 8. Swarkestone Bridge ★★★
  • NOTTINGHAMSHIRE
  • 9. Old Trent Bridge ★★
• 4. ESSEX TOUR
  • 1. Coggeshall Long Bridge ★
  • 2. Hedingham Castle Bridge ★★★
  • 3. Pleshey Castle Bridge ★
• 5. HEREFORDSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Hereford Wye Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Mordiford Bridge and Causeway ★★
  • 3. Lugg Bridge ★
• 6. KING JOHN’S BRIDGE & WORCESTERSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Powick Old Bridge ★★★
  • 2. King John’s Bridge ★★★★
• 7. LEICESTERSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Cotes Bridge ★
  • 2. Enderby Packhorse Bridge ★★
  • 3. Aylestone Packhorse Bridge ★★
  • 4. Medbourne Packhorse Bridge ★★
• 8. LINCOLNSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Lincoln High Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Thornton Abbey Gatehouse Bridge ★★
  • 3. West Rasen Packhorse Bridge ★★★
  • 4. Utterby Packhorse Bridge ★
• 9. NORFOLK TOUR
  • 1. Newton Flotman Bridge ★★
  • 2. Bishops Bridge ★★★★
  • 3. Mayton Bridge ★
  • 4. Potter Heigham Bridge ★★
  • 5. Wiveton Bridge ★★
• 10. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - SOUTH TOUR
  • 1. Charwelton Packhorse Bridge ★
  • 2. Everdon Bridge ★★
  • 3. Irthlingborough Old Bridge ★★
  • 4. Ditchford Bridge ★★
  • 5. Thrapston Bridge ★★★
• 11. NORTHAMPTONSHIRE - NORTH TOUR
  • 1. Braybrooke Bridge ★★
  • 2. Geddington Bridge ★★★
  • 3. Wakerley Bridge ★★★
  • 4. Duddington Bridge ★★
• 12. SHROPSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Bridgnorth Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Ludford Bridge ★★★
  • 3. Clun Bridge ★★
• 13. SUFFOLK TOUR
  • 1. Toppesfield Bridge ★★
  • 2. Bury St Edmunds Abbot’s Bridge ★★
  • 3. Moulton Packhorse Bridge ★★★
• 14. THREE COUNTIES TOUR
  • STAFFORDSHIRE
  • 1. Great Haywood Packhorse Bridge ★★★★
  • WARWICKSHIRE
  • 2. Grendon Bridge ★
  • WEST MIDLANDS
  • 3. Hampton-in-Arden Bridge ★★
• 15. WARWICKSHIRE TOUR
  • 1. Bidford Bridge ★★★
  • 2. Clopton Bridge ★★★
  • 3. Warwick Old Castle Bridge ★
  • 4. Marton Bridge ★
  • 5. Stoneleigh Bridge ★★
  • 6. Stare Bridge ★★★
• A Glossary for Medieval Bridges
• Acknowledgements
• Bibliography