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TL0150 : Bromham Bridge

"The road from Bedford to Northampton crosses the River Ouse between the villages of Bromham and Biddenham. The bridge is now called Bromham Bridge, but was described as 'the bridge of Bideham' in an entry in the Calendar of Fines for 1227-8, and as the 'Bridge of Biddenham' in the Pipe Roll of 1224, when the sum of 4s [20p] was spent on its repairs.

"According to the Annals of Dunstable, the bridge was broken by ice in 1281, and one unfortunate woman was carried away on an ice-floe. She was seen passing Bedford Bridge, four miles below, but there is no record of her having been saved. In the Clerical Subsidies of 1400 it was still known as '[pons] de Bydenham', and the Chantry Certificates (c.1540) used the same name when referring to a 'Chauntry to our Lady and St Kateryn at the foot of this bridge.' According to William Harvey, in his History of the Hundred of Willey (1872-1878), remains of this chapel could then be seen in the structure of the miller's house, but this unfortunately has since been destroyed.

"From the Sessions Rolls it appears that Bromham Bridge was undergoing repairs in 1728, and in 1750 it was reported that the last arch at the eastern end required attention. A bill for masons' work was presented to the Sessions three years later, another in 1775, and a further account the next year. A new arch was 'turned' ten years later, and even in 1792 Bromham Bridge was only ' a horse and foot bridge', according to a presentment made that year for its repair. Nothing seems to have been done, as in 1799 it was said to be 'ruinous and in decay.' An account for work was, however, sent in six years later, so evidently the repairs were eventually put in hand.

"In 1813 Robert Salmon made a plan of Bromham Bridge costing 4 guineas [£4.20]. He was evidently the surveyor, as in September 1814 he wrote to John Miller informing him that his contract for Bromham Bridge was completed. The following year Salmon's account for extra work on the bridge amounted to £30. No further references are made concerning Bromham Bridge until 1823, when £2.12s.7d [about £2.63] was paid for bricklayers' and stonemasons' work. In the following January it was again stated to be in decay.

"Bromham Bridge appears to have been considerably reconstructed, or perhaps rebuilt, early in the 19th century. it now has 26 semicircular arches and a width between parapets of 18 feet."

E. Jervoise, The ancient bridges of mid and eastern England (Archtiectural Press, 1932), pp 89-90.