Listed Building record MDO6144 - White Mill Bridge, over the river Stour between Sturminster Marshall and Shapwick

Stone-built bridge of eight arches; four larger central arches with two smaller at each end. There is a documentary reference to a bridge here in 1341. The present structure is thought to have been built in the sixteenth century, but later considerably repaired and strengthened with iron ties. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

White Mill Bridge, is an eight-arched stone structure over the River Stour, probably dating from the 16th century, although considerably repaired and strengthened with iron ties. Under each arch are four-arched ribs and between the arches are cutwaters carrying refuges. The parapet walls oversail the spandrels above the arches and are carried on rounded corbels. Jervoise stated that Richard Bryan in his will dated 1341 left money for the repair of White Mill Bridge. In 1713 the bridge was in decay and was ordered to be repaired. <2-4>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1929 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 95760055) White Mill Bridge (NAT)

<2> Jervoise, E, 1930, The Ancient Bridges of the South of England, 82 (Monograph). SWX3998.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 2, 286 (Monograph). SDO149.

'(4) WHITE MILL BRIDGE (700 yds. N.E.) over the R. Stour is of stone and probably of the 16th century (Plate 33); it has been considerably repaired and strengthened with iron ties. There are eight round arches, four larger ones in the middle and two smaller at each end. Under each arch are four arched ribs, the outer ones chamfered and of alternate brown and white stone voussoirs. Between the arches are cutwaters carrying refuges; the parapet walls oversail the spandrels above the arches and are carried on rounded corbels.'

<4> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 367 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 209506 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Feb 9 2023 10:19AM