Fiddle Bridge Pendleton

[Ryewolf]

Fiddle Bridge, near to Pendleton, Lancashire. Pendleton Brook was once crossed by several clapper bridges which consisted of very long stone flags laid from the banks to the central stone support with an iron handrail on either side. One of these, Fiddle Bridge, so called because it is shaped like the musical instrument was removed in c1906 to nearby Standen Hall while the road was altered. On the initiative of Pendleton Women's Institute the bridge was returned to the village in 2000.

Most Clapper bridges were erected in medieval times, the word 'clapper' derives from an Anglo-Saxon word, cleaca, meaning 'bridging the stepping stones'.

 

[Clicker]

Just looking at the wear and erosion  caused by  people walking across that  from a time in the Middle Ages   adds a real narrative to this image Rye .fascinating stuff ...and  a good photo to boot !

[Craig]

What an amazing piece of history and really well captured Rye.

[Ryewolf]

1 hour ago, Clicker said:

Just looking at the wear and erosion  caused by  people walking across that  from a time in the Middle Ages   adds a real narrative to this image Rye

There is a clapper bridge like this in Wycoller (without the rails) that me and Denis visited last year on the Grand Tour.

43 minutes ago, Craig said:

What an amazing piece of history and really well captured Rye.

Thanks Craig, I've photographed this quite a few times over the past few years but never posted an image of it before. This one was taken today as I've been looking for things beginning with F for the A-Z Challenge.

[Hatter]

Interesting that they returned it but didn't put in back over the brook.  Is it anywhere near the original location?

 

[Ryewolf]

1 hour ago, Hatter said:

Interesting that they returned it but didn't put in back over the brook.  Is it anywhere near the original location?

Thanks Gareth, it's about 50ft away. I found an old map of the area from 1888 and compared it to Google Street View, where the road now goes over the brook is where the Fiddle Bridge used to be. You can see the bridge on the grassed area that's fenced off.