{"id":43,"date":"2021-10-13T10:12:13","date_gmt":"2021-10-13T08:12:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.countryfile.com\/?p=32510"},"modified":"2021-10-13T15:33:16","modified_gmt":"2021-10-13T13:33:16","slug":"guide-rural-bridges-in-britain-traditional-designs-and-best-bridges-to-visit","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbccountryfile\/rss_feed\/guide-rural-bridges-in-britain-traditional-designs-and-best-bridges-to-visit\/","title":{"rendered":"Guide rural bridges in Britain: traditional designs and best bridges to visit"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By Kevin Parr\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Wednesday, 13 October 2021 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Most walks in the British countryside will take you past, over or in sight of a rural bridge. Some cross canals and rivers, while others were built to span gaps in deep valleys or to pass safely over railway lines.<\/p>\n

Britain\u2019s rural bridges come in all shapes and sizes, some are old, arched and made of local stone, while others are long, metal and span great distances over wide rivers. But why were they built? When were they built? And how are they used today?<\/p>\n

Our guide explores the many different types of bridges that can be found in the countryside. We take a look at six varieties of traditional rural bridge, before revealing some of the most spectacular bridges to visit on your next walk in the countryside.<\/p>\n

Traditional rural bridge designs<\/h2>\n

Clapper bridge<\/h3>\n
\""Clapper\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Clapper bridge\/Credit: Alamy<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Although prehistoric in appearance, many examples date from the Middle Ages or later and have often been rebuilt. They\u2019re mainly found in areas where suitable materials were easy to come by, such as the Pennines and Dartmoor (above).<\/p>\n