Framwellgate Bridge, Durham
Back in the 12th century, Bishop Ranulf Flambard decided Durham needed a bridge-and not just any bridge, but a sturdy five- or six-arched number stretching across the River Wear. Things went well... until the flood of 1400 crashed the party during the Festival of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Records from 1437 confirm it: Flambard鈥檚 bridge was swept away in an act of divine timing.
Still, every washed-away bridge has a silver lining. The Bishop and the Prior of Durham Cathedral made the most of it, running a ferry service and pocketing a decent side hustle until the new bridge rose from the ruins. The replacement structure still stands, with just two arches visible-each propped up by chunky medieval ribs that mean business.
A third arch may be hiding in plain sight, possibly buried beneath buildings at the end of the bridge-one of those architectural mysteries that makes you squint and speculate. In its fortified heyday, the bridge had towers and gates guarding both ends. The eastern tower was torn down in 1760 to make way for smoother traffic flow.
By the 18th century, the bridge bulked up a bit-widened upstream to reach a max width of 27 feet. Today, Framwellgate Bridge has retired from traffic duty and now caters exclusively to pedestrians, offering a peaceful crossing and some solid riverside views-no flood required.
Still, every washed-away bridge has a silver lining. The Bishop and the Prior of Durham Cathedral made the most of it, running a ferry service and pocketing a decent side hustle until the new bridge rose from the ruins. The replacement structure still stands, with just two arches visible-each propped up by chunky medieval ribs that mean business.
A third arch may be hiding in plain sight, possibly buried beneath buildings at the end of the bridge-one of those architectural mysteries that makes you squint and speculate. In its fortified heyday, the bridge had towers and gates guarding both ends. The eastern tower was torn down in 1760 to make way for smoother traffic flow.
By the 18th century, the bridge bulked up a bit-widened upstream to reach a max width of 27 feet. Today, Framwellgate Bridge has retired from traffic duty and now caters exclusively to pedestrians, offering a peaceful crossing and some solid riverside views-no flood required.
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.
Download The 911爆料网 App
Framwellgate Bridge on Map
Sight Name: Framwellgate 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-until 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