The bridge itself shows the different rock types which exist in
Bedfordshire in its construction. It is mainly limestone composed
of ooliths and fossils with some detail more obvious in places than
others. Some cross-stratification is present which demonstrates the
fact that the particles moved along the seabed when they were
formed as small dunes; with the water direction shown in the
cross-strata.
>
Ooliths originate from warm, shallow water where gentle wave
action has rolled particles such as shell fragments or quartz. In
these waters the carbonate content is high creating evenly coated,
round balls of calcite or calcium carbonate.
The presence of shells indicates particles which have come from
a warm marine environment with bivalves, sea urchins and
ammonites.
>
The famous clay/mud which is so common in this region is present
in the bridge structure indicating a time when land was nearby. The
mud would have washed from the land into the river systems before
eventually escaping into the sea. The presence of clay makes the
carbonate much softer and less well-cemented.
In Bedfordshire there are no natural places displaying the local
Jurassic rock types so this manmade bridge is of great geological
interest. The quarried stones which make up this structure are a
clear indication of the stone used in the area as a whole and the
site provides an ideal place away from private residences where a
building structure can be viewed effectively.
Bromham Bridge is a scheduled ancient monument and lies
predominantly in Biddenham as it crosses the River Great Ouse.
There are 26 arches in the structure and it has origins in the
medieval period but is mostly a rebuilt bridge dating to 1813.
There has been a bridge on this site since the Middle Ages. The
four arches opposite the mill contain the remaining medieval
material.
The Pipe Rolls of 1224 and 1227/8 document a bridge being here
and then in 1281 that it collapsed with a woman falling into the
river and disappearing forever when this occurred. There were
quarry pits in Bromham where the stone to repair and rebuild the
bridge was taken from including several dates detailed in the
Bedfordshire & Luton Archives & Records Service: 1685,
1724, 1738, 1742, 1752 and 1791.
In 1813 the bridge was widened and appeared in the form we see
today. This was completed by the architect Robert Salmon. Then
again the arches were widened and rebuilt in 1902 (see plaque on
south side over river). In 1947/8 a similar weather event occurred
as in 1281. The severe cold caused ice floes to collide with force
into the bridge from the flooded meadows with the current of the
river.
>
Parking can be found at either end of the bridge (the eastern
parking location is at the listed co-ordinates), take care when
crossing as this is a busy road. Nearby is the ancient Bromham Mill
and water meadows where a pleasant riverside walk takes you to some
of the places you will need to view this site.
To claim this Earth Cache you must complete the activities
below and ensure you post the pictures on the cache page and send
us an email with the correct answers. Please don’t mention the
answers in your logs as they will be deleted if they give the game
away.
Go to: N52º08.704 W000º31.467 and take a photograph of you, your
team or your GPS as detailed as ‘Photo View’ in the gallery.
>
You will also need to submit an original view of the bridge as
your second picture to qualify for logging the cache.
Photo 2 shows a curious shot, where can this be found on the
bridge and what are the co-ordinates for this? What is this curious
feature – use your resources to discover this?
>
What does the Bromham Bridge limestone consist of?
How many V-shaped recesses that carry surface water drains are
there in the bridge on the north and south sides? Use these to
cross the bridge and dodge the traffic.
>
FIRST TO
FIND: milvus-milvus!