Gallox Bridge, Dunster
Encyclopedia
The Gallox Bridge in Dunster
, Somerset
, England dates from the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument
. The bridge is in the guardianship of English Heritage
.
In the 14th century it was known as Doddebrigge. The name Gallox is believed to be derived from gallows as the village gallows were nearby.
It is a narrow stone packhorse bridge
, on the southern outskirts of Dunster, with two arches over the River Avill
. It has a roadway width of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), a total width of 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) and is 13.5 metres (44.3 ft) long. The approach from the village is via a raised causeway.
Dunster
Dunster is a village and civil parish in west Somerset, England, situated on the Bristol Channel coast south-southeast of Minehead and northwest of Taunton. The village has a population of 862 .The village has numerous restaurants and three pubs...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England dates from the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building and Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
. The bridge is in the guardianship of English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
.
In the 14th century it was known as Doddebrigge. The name Gallox is believed to be derived from gallows as the village gallows were nearby.
It is a narrow stone packhorse bridge
Packhorse bridge
A packhorse bridge is a bridge intended to carry packhorses across a river or stream. Typically a packhorse bridge consists of one or more narrow masonry arches, and has low parapets so as not to interfere with the horse's panniers.Packhorse bridges were often built on the trade routes that...
, on the southern outskirts of Dunster, with two arches over the River Avill
River Avill
The River Avill is a small river on Exmoor in Somerset, England.It rises on the eastern slopes of Dunkery Beacon and flows north through Timberscombe and Dunster flowing into the Bristol Channel at Dunster Beach....
. It has a roadway width of 1.2 metres (3.9 ft), a total width of 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) and is 13.5 metres (44.3 ft) long. The approach from the village is via a raised causeway.