Bygone Memories of Malton: County Bridge
Malton Bridge, Grade II Listed 10/06/74
Formerly known as: MOLTON BRIDGE.
Bridge. c1760; widened and parapet partly rebuilt in C20. Original bridge probably by John Carr. Sandstone ashlar.
Widened by the addition of a concrete walkway with iron railings. 3 spans crossing the River Derwent and a mid-stream island. Semi circular arches of voussoirs, with roll mouldings on the downstream side, and cutwaters between arches at the Norton end. Raised chamfered band on the upstream side, beneath plain cambered parapet.Original downstream parapet survives alongside the later walkway. South end in Norton-on-Derwent CP.
County Bridge - before the west-side footpath extension project of 1871.
The County Bridge has been the site of the main crossing point of the River Derwent from Roman times, with a bridge in existence from at least the 12th century. A Bridge Guild, founded in the 15th century oversaw its maintenance with wealthy town dwellers regularly leaving money in their wills for repairs. The existing bridge was Rebuilt c1700 in two parts – three stone arches and a wooden section meeting at an island. A new footpath on the west side of the County bridge was laid down in 1871.
County Bridge c1940 - view from Norton Road.
Noel Goodwill stood outside Bridge Cottage - once used as a Toll House, more recently run as a cigarette and sweet shop before being demolished in the late 1950s.
Once the boundary for the North and East Ridings of Yorkshire. The Toll House stood on the island in the middle of the River Derwent and required the inhabitants to pay half rates to each county. Mrs Goodwill and her son Noel ran a sweet and cigarette shop from the house until the late 1950s. The island was known as one of the 'Derwent Islands'.
* see reference waypoint N54° 07.981' W000° 47.455'
Restoration works.
On the island, in 1862 engineers, found footings of a medieval hospice founded by Roger de Flamville, dedicated to St. Nicholas. Probably built in the reign of Henry II and governed by the canons of Malton – these hospitals for feeding the poor had faded out by 1640.
Map of 1850.
This stretch of river from County Bridge to the King's Mill was known as the 'English Jordan' as Archbishop Paulinus is said to have baptized the Saxon King Edwin of Northumbria and many of his subjects here in the 7th century. Baptism was revived here around 1825-30 when the Baptists became established in the town but this ceased on the installation of a well in their chapel. It was briefly revived once again in 1863 when a new sect calling themselves the Christian Brethren baptised their members in the river much to the amusement of the crowds that gathered to watch.
Flooding affecting Malton & Norton in 1999.
High river water levels under County Bridge
Flooding has caused County Bridge to be rebuilt and repaired many times. The towns of Malton and Norton are subject to flooding when the capacity of the River Derwent is overwhelmed after severe weather. History shows that flooding has been a regular occurrence over the years with measurements of up to 14 feet taken at County Bridge. Disastrous floods in 1931 inundated the electricity sub-station, when the gas supply had to be turned off and drinking water rationed for a number of days. Major floods hit in 1947 after the severe winter and again in both 1999 & 2000 when the water reached the highest level ever. A flood alleviation project costing £7.8m and taking 18 months to complete has protected the towns since.
Flooding in 1999
Flooding at GZ in 1999
MUGGLE CENTRAL...........STEALTH REQUIRED!!
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