MEM23988 - 19th Century stone bridge at Exford (Monument)

The current Exford Bridge was rebuilt in 1930 on a medieval site. [1] The previous bridge is shown in a photograph taken in c.1895. It was built of random rubble in a similar style to the current one. [2] The bridge is shown on the 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map. [3] It is not clear whether any of the fabric of this bridge is included in the present structure (MSO10639). [4] A timber structure was crossed by Leland in 1543 (MEM24735). [5] A note by Hamilton states the previous bridge in the 19th Century was a "narrow little stone one with a low parapet". [6] The Tithe Map for Exford [6] shows that the bridge crossing of the Exe River at that time was further east (upstream, at SS 8522 3836), near the original ford. The 19th Century bridge was built in its present location between the surveying of this map and c.1889 - 1890, when the 25 inch 1st Edition Ordnance Survey map [7] was produced. It is therefore uncertain that the 19th Century bridge is sited in the location of the medieval bridge, unless it had already been moved once prior to c.1840. [3, 7-8]