Description and History of Site:-
High Bridge that carries Lincoln High Street over the River Witham dates from about 1160. It is believed to be the second oldest masonry arch bridge in Britain and the oldest with a secular medieval building still standing on it. The oldest arch bridge is at Fountains Abbey. High Bridge continued to carry the main road until 1971 when a relief road was opened along side Brayford Pool and High Street was pedestrianised.

High Bridge has a single arch with a span of 22ft(6.70m) and originally consisted of semicircular stone barrel vaulting with five ribs, the outer pair 4ft(1.22m) wide and the three inner ribs 3ft(0.91m) wide. The original section of the bridge is about 33ft(10.06m) long. In about 1235 a 28ft(8.53m) extension using quadripartite groined stone vaulting with diagonal ribs was added to accommodate a chapel. At some date much of the original arch and stone vaulting was removed and replaced in brickwork, presumably to lower the road. In 1902 the bridge was partially restored and some of the original arch and vaulting was reinstated.

In 1540-50 the bridge was further extended upstream (western side) by 20ft(6.09m) using a flat pointed arch with vaulting to support a range of 3 storey half-timbered buildings that remain in commercial use.

In 1762/3 that bridge extended on the downstream (eastern side) bringing the total length to 87ft(26.52m). At the same date, the chapel that had been disused since 1549 was removed and a stone conduit house in the form of an obelisk was erected in its place. This in turn was demolished in 1939 and as an obstruction.

In 1792-955 the wooden floor beneath the bridge was removed and the abutments under-pinned to make River Witham navigable under the bridge. Despite this, the bridge remains a serious obstacle to both river flow and navigation.

Further Reading and References:-
https://www.heritagegateway.org.uk/Gateway/Results_Single.aspx?uid=MLI70152&resourceID=1006
Wright N, Lincolnshire's Industrial Heritage - A Guide, Society for Lincolnshire History and Archaeology, 2004, LN1-p33
Labrum E A, Civil Engineering Heritage - Eastern and Central England, Thomas Telford, 1994

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Key Words :- single arch stone brick medieval road bridge

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the public road or canal footpath

Address :- High Street, Lincoln, Lincoln, Lincolnshire, LN5 7AU
Grid Ref :- SK 97516 71160
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.228539 , Long -0.540663
Local Authority :- City of Lincoln Council
Pre 1974 County :- Lincolnshire - Lindsey
Site Status :- Scheduled Ancient Monument SAM
Historic England List No - 1005030, 1388574,
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Site Dates :- 1160 - current
Record Date :- 20 February 2019

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter