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SX0963 : Bridge across the Fowey river at Lanhydrock SX0963 : Road bridge over the River Fowey near Lanhydrock SX0963 : Respryn Bridge

"The Fowey, now a fair river, skirts the noble domain of Lanhydrock and reaches the once important ford and bridge of Resprynn (sometimes Lepryn, originally Rit-brini = The Crows' Ford?) on the old track from Bodmin to Looe. The name shows that there was a ford (res) here before the bridge was built. Charters of the 12th century (Oliver's Monasticon sc. Tywardreath) refer to Richbrene and the chapel of St Martin standing here. As early, however, as 1309 there was a bridge, for in that year (Inquisition post mortem of Earl Edmund) a jury found that the fishing and other rights in the river belonged to the Lords of Restormel Castle 'from St Saviour's Port (or Polruan) at the Haven mouth to the Bridge of Reprenne so long as two oxen yoked together could advance there.'

" Resprynn Bridge has five arches of different sizes and dates. The midmost, smallest and oldest is 13 feet in span and dates from the 15th century. It is slightly pointed. The other arches are round and the two at the west end are modern. The roadway is 11 feet across and the material of the bridge is principally blocks of moorstone, the newer parts of rubble. The arches spring from the piers without imposts about 5 feet above the normal level of the water.

"Strategically, the pass at Resprynn Bridge was one of the most important in Cornwall. The bridge was guarded by the Royalists at the outbreak of the Civil War, but when Essex came down to Lostwithiel in July 1644 he put an outpost there. On the night of 11th August he was obliged to abandon it to the enemy, and as a result King Charles at Boconnoc had free access to Sir Richard Grenville at Bodmin. Lanhydrock House too fell into the hands of the Royalists and their net was drawn the tighter round the doomed Parliamentarian army in Lostwithiel. A few days later the King rode down from Boconnoc to see Lanhydrock, in spite of the wet weather. He rode by way of Resprynn Bridge, and did his best to protect the house from the rapacity of his own troops. There is a splendid avenue from the bridge up to Lanhydrock House planted by Lord Roberts after the ultimate victory of his party in the war."

Charles Henderson, Old Cornish bridges and streams, 1928, pp.76-7.