Description and History of Site:-

Hatcher noted - Four segmental arches of two orders. Enormous triangular cutwaters parapets added in poorer stone. Strange pendentive effect where parapets stride onto top of cutwaters. In the centre upstream cutwater a little pedestal perhaps originally a sundial inscribed: "RW 1674".Ulshaw bridge is on an ancient route. This is probably the route taken by Leland when coming from Richmond to Middleham that he states that he crossed the Ure by a ford. Later in his itinerary he however states that the bridge 'over Ure by Middleham is but of Tymber'. The existing bridge was built in 1674 to replace old wooden bridge.
There was a bridge at this point in the fifteenth century, and in 1424 the first Earl of Westmorland left £20 in his will towards its completion. In 1588 the Justices who had been requested to view it reported that the structure was in such a ruinous state that " 200 marks will be little enough for the repair and paving thereof." The expenditure of a further sum of £30 upon repairs became necessary in 1613, but eight years later it was reported that " Ulsey or Owsey Bridge" was again in a state of decay. More than £500 was spent on its reconstruction in 1623-27, and a further £1,000 some fifty years later. In one of the refuges of the bridge is the shaft of an old sundial bearing the date 1674, but whether this may be taken as an indication that the present structure was built in that year is uncertain, all that can be definitely stated being that it dates from before 1805. Of dressed ashlar, the bridge consists of two 33 ft and two 29 ft spans, with a total length of 170 ft and an 11 ft 9 in carriageway but no footways. Carrying an unclassified road between East Witton and Spennithorne across the River Ure

Further Reading and References:-

YAHS - Hatcher Card Index. Research funded by the Yorkshire Arts Association 1972.
Hatcher, J. The industrial architecture of Yorkshire. Phillimore,1985.
Jervoise, E. The ancient bridges of the north of England. Architectural Press, 1931; reprinted by E. P. Publishing, 1973, p77.

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Key Words :- road bridge stone arch river

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the public road with care

Address :- Ulshaw, Leyburn, North Yorkshire, DL8 4SQ
Grid Ref :- SE 14519 87226
Co-ordinates :- Lat 54.280471 , Long -1.778510
Local Authority :- Richmondshire District Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - North Riding
Site Status :- Scheduled Ancient Monument SAM
Historic England List No - 1130927,
Site Condition :- Operational site, in use for original purpose
Contributor :- Daniel Balmforth - 5 June 2015

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © Daniel Balmforth