Communications - Roads and Bridges

Preamble
Two chief Roman roads crossed the area under review, viz. Ryknield Street, running North-South through Studley, Alcester and Bidford and the Salt Way from Droitwich to Stratford, running West-East through Oversley and Alcester. The. lines of these roads are easily seen on Ordnance Survey (OS) maps and are traceable on the ground both in the lines of modern roads (e.g. Coughton to Studley) and in hedgerows and green ways (e.g. Oversley Mill to Wixford). There is a large network of mediaeval highways, some described under parishes in Victoria County History of Warwickshire (VCH). Some of the most impotant were the salt ways crossing the area from Droitwich to Stratford and Warwick. The chief natural obstacles were the Rivers Avon, Arrow and Alnes; Quarter Sessions (QS) records show that by the 17th century there were bridges at Alcester, Bidford, Oversley, Wixford and Great Alne. 1754 saw the start of the work of the turnpike trusts in this area.

Of the tollhouses in the area 5 are known to have been destroyed and only 3 (probably 4) remain. Of the milestones (trusts were legally bound to erect these) 12 are still visible.

River Bridges

Ref. No.	Location	Ordnance Survey Ref.	Notes
A 18	Gunnings Bridge	SP 091577	Carries Alcester-Wootton road over Arrow; 3 brick arches,rebuilt 19th century; 1612 Sir Fowlke Greville agreed to build stone bridge (QS);dates at least from 1274 (VCH)
GA 61	Great Alne.	SP 116591	Modern, concrete; ford on 19th cent.maps but (QS) refers to “Alne Bridge”,1625.Nearby, a railway level crossing.
B121	Bidford	SP 098517	8 arch, stone, mediaeval; from 1638 a County bridge (QS) Roman ford 200 yards east carried Ryknield Street;remains found c.l970; historical details of bridge v.VCH. Just down stream of bridge was island and flash weir, all removed 1955. In 18th & 19th cents. commercial traffic from Severn to Stratford; Bidford had wharves, largely destroyed,for coal; a lock operated at Grange Mill v.Miil section,
B102	Broom	SP 087534	Modern, concrete, span nearly 60 m. carried by concrete legs over Arrow and mill tail-race;no indications of early bridge.
C137	Coughton	SP 085606	Footbridge of aluminium over Arrow at Coughton ford; until mid-l8th cent.was on Oxford-Bridgnorth coach route;c.1950 bridge replaced wooden structure & has companion down stream at SP 088603.
C 138	Cain Bridge	SP 080607	3 shallow, segmental arches, probably 18th cent; on 1698 map (Coughton Court) bridge shown.
O 171	Oversley	SP 093569	6 arch,stone, over Arrow; in brick parapet a stone dated 1600;road was main highway to Stratford till 1960’s when new road reduced bridge’s importance. Few yards north of bridge probable site of Roman ford carrying Stratford-Droitwich road.
Sal205	Salford Priors	SP 083514	Erected 1806;single brick arch. Sp 228 Spernall SP 086622 Modern, iron, over R.Arrow; photo graph,19O7, shows ford and wooden footbridge.
St 239	Washford Bridge	SP 073647	Concrete, 1924 on parapet, over Arrow; replaced single span road bridge on line of Ryknield Street but name suggests it an early fording place;perhaps bridge first erected by turnpike trust in 1766
St 267	Studley	SP 077639	Over R.Arrow;present bridge rebuilt 1924; indicated on Yate’s map,1790; road leads from present Studley to site of original settlement and parish church
W 342	Wixford	SP 087546	Single brick arch,stone string course;small flood arches; relatively modern though a bridge here by mid 17th cent.,when it had become a County bridge (QS)

Route.	Year	Notes
Stratford to Droitwich and Bromsgrove	1754	includes part of parishes of Haselor,Oversley,Alcester,Coughton,Sambourne.
Spernall Ash to Digbeth	1766	includes Studley.
Alcester to Evesham	1777	includes Arrow and Dunnington
Alcester to Wootton Wawen	1814	includes Oversley,Kinwarton,Gt.Alne
Arrow to Flyford Flavel	1826	includes Weethley.
Dunnington to Crabbs Cross	1826	includes Weethley.