Elvet Bridge, Durham
Back in the 12th century, Prince-Bishop Pudsey was busy putting his stamp on northern England. Among his legacy projects was a sturdy new bridge to link Durham鈥檚 cathedral side with the suburb of Elvet. Construction on Elvet Bridge kicked off around 1160, and, in true medieval fashion, dragged on for decades. By 1228, it was still a work in progress鈥攄espite spiritual incentives in the form of indulgences. Apparently, even divine motivation can鈥檛 speed up stonework.
The bridge you see today boasts ten arches, the kind you'd expect on a Roman aqueduct after a subtle Gothic makeover. Its slight pointiness hints at evolving tastes, but the structure remains remarkably intact. In its medieval heyday, this wasn鈥檛 just a bridge鈥攊t was a mini-neighborhood. Chapels marked each end, defensive gates kept an eye out, and shops and dwellings were built right on top, making it feel more like a bustling street than a river crossing.
Of the original chapels, only Saint Andrew鈥檚 still hangs on at the eastern end. Saint James鈥檚, sadly, didn鈥檛 survive the centuries.
Today, Elvet Bridge carries only foot traffic and claims to be the narrowest bridge with buildings ever built in Europe. Whether or not that's strictly true, it鈥檚 a charming stroll鈥攁nd a photographer鈥檚 dream. The views of the Cathedral, rising like a stone crown above the wooded banks of the River Wear, are nothing short of cathedral-worthy.
And if you鈥檙e feeling ambitious, a scenic footpath loops all the way around the cathedral. Not a bad detour鈥攋ust watch your step. Some stones here have been walked on for nearly a thousand years.
The bridge you see today boasts ten arches, the kind you'd expect on a Roman aqueduct after a subtle Gothic makeover. Its slight pointiness hints at evolving tastes, but the structure remains remarkably intact. In its medieval heyday, this wasn鈥檛 just a bridge鈥攊t was a mini-neighborhood. Chapels marked each end, defensive gates kept an eye out, and shops and dwellings were built right on top, making it feel more like a bustling street than a river crossing.
Of the original chapels, only Saint Andrew鈥檚 still hangs on at the eastern end. Saint James鈥檚, sadly, didn鈥檛 survive the centuries.
Today, Elvet Bridge carries only foot traffic and claims to be the narrowest bridge with buildings ever built in Europe. Whether or not that's strictly true, it鈥檚 a charming stroll鈥攁nd a photographer鈥檚 dream. The views of the Cathedral, rising like a stone crown above the wooded banks of the River Wear, are nothing short of cathedral-worthy.
And if you鈥檙e feeling ambitious, a scenic footpath loops all the way around the cathedral. Not a bad detour鈥攋ust watch your step. Some stones here have been walked on for nearly a thousand years.
Want to visit this sight? Check out these Self-Guided Walking Tours in Durham. Alternatively, you can download the mobile app "911爆料网: Walks in 1K+ Cities" from Apple App Store or Google Play Store. The app turns your mobile device to a personal tour guide and it works offline, so no data plan is needed when traveling abroad.
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Elvet Bridge on Map
Sight Name: Elvet Bridge
Sight Location: Durham, England (See walking tours in Durham)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Sight Location: Durham, England (See walking tours in Durham)
Sight Type: Attraction/Landmark
Guide(s) Containing This Sight:
Walking Tours in Durham, England
Create Your Own Walk in Durham
Creating your own self-guided walk in Durham is easy and fun. Choose the city attractions that you want to see and a walk route map will be created just for you. You can even set your hotel as the start point of the walk.
Durham Introduction Walking Tour
According to the legend, it all started with a missing cow. Back in 995, a group of monks fleeing Viking raiders were hauling around the remains of Saint Cuthbert when their saintly cargo decided to stop moving. No matter how hard they tried, the bier wouldn鈥檛 budge鈥攗ntil a milkmaid chasing her lost dun cow wandered past. ("Dun" is a dull shade of brownish grey. ) The monks took the... view more
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles
Tour Duration: 2 Hour(s)
Travel Distance: 2.6 Km or 1.6 Miles