MSO9409 - Gallox Packhorse Bridge, Dunster (Building)

A packhorse bridge spanning the River Avill on the southern outskirts of Dunster. It is possibly of 15th century date, and has two slightly pointed arches with double arch rings. The bridge leads to a causeway skirting a ford on the north side.

[SS 9895 4321] Gallox Bridge [NR]. [1] Gallox Bridge, Dunster, on the River Avill, is a packhorse bridge with two slightly pointed arches and a roadway width of approximately 3 feet 3 inches. [2] Scheduled. [3] The bridge is as described above [8]. [4] Gallox Bridge, Grade I, Park Street. Possibly 15th century, narrow stone packhorse bridge. Possibly 15th century. Narrow stone packhorse bridge on two arches, central cutwater to west side. Stone parapets, parapet on one side bordering the approach footpath. (For full description see list.). [5] Additional bibliography. [6] A packhorse bridge which spans the River Avill on the southern outskirts of Dunster. It has a roadway width of 1.2 metres, a total width of 1.9 metres amd is 13.5 metres long. It has two arches which are slightly pointed and have double arch rings. The bridge leads to a causeway skirting a ford on the north side. It is still used as a public footbridge, and is a survivor of the simple type of stone bridge to be found in the West Country and elsewhere. It is reputed to be of 15th century date. The bridge is Scheduled and Listed Grade I. It is in the care of the Secretary of State. [7?] Bridge length 10.5 metres and 1.2 metres wide. The two arches are slightly pointed and have double arch rings. Each side has four narrow chamfered ribs. There is a cut-water on the upstream side only. The bridge leads to a causeway skirting a ford on the north side. [9] Scheduled area revised with new national number on 28 June 1996, was Somerset 149. [10] The Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment of 2009 gave the site a survival score of 0. [11] The bridge is included within Dunster's Conservation Area. [12] The building was visited in September 2012 as part of the rapid condition survey of Exmoor's Listed Buildings 2012-13. It received a BAR score of 6. [13] The site was surveyed in April 2015 as part of the 2015 Exmoor Scheduled Monument Condition Assessment. It was given a survival score of 8. [14] The structure is depicted at SS 9895 4322 on 2018 MasterMap data. It is labelled "Gallox Bridge". [15] Visitor information. [16] Includes a brief accessible overview of Gallox Bridge for visitors; it also notes the former names of "Gallows Bridge", "Gallocks Bridge", "Galloxbrigge" or "Toddebrigge" (the last name being the oldest). [17] The site was photographed by the RCHME in 1999. [18] This record was enhanced as part of the National Record of the Historic Environment to Exmoor National Park Historic Environment Record data transfer project. [19] The building is mentioned in the 2018 Conservation Area Appraisal for Dunster. [20] The building is mentioned in a publication on the industrial archaeology of Somerset. [21]