The Cantlop bridge is on the way back towards Shrewsbury from Acton Burnell (see my last post). Built in 1813 it was one of a network of bridges constructed to improve both communication and trade in Shropshire.
We pulled in to the off road parking area to take a look at the bridge. It is a single span bridge built to an innovative design approved by Scottish engineer Thomas Telford. The structure was strong enough to support the flat deck without a central pier which could have hindered navigation of the Cound brook.
It is built from cast iron and is the only Telford approved cast iron bridge left in Shropshire. Although cast iron is very durable it is weak in tension and no longer considered suitable for today's heavy road traffic. It stopped being used in the 1970s when the present road bridge was built. This is a rather smaller bridge than the one by Telford and Jessop that I wrote about here!
As we walked over the bridge and back I spotted hops growing in the hedgerows. Although to me it was an unusual sight it is, apparently, quite common to see wild hops growing in hedgerows in several areas of the country especially where there has been, or still is commercial hop growing taking place.
The hops stretched quite a way down the road across the hedgerow separating the road from the field beyond.
As we headed home we stopped at a farm shop and cafe to have a cup of late afternoon peppermint tea.
For the Gloucester Old Spot pigs it was tea time too!
I hope you had a cake with your peppermint tea after your trip!
ReplyDeleteLovely bridge with a good history. Love the pigs xxxx
ReplyDeleteOooo ooo ooo. Where's the farm shop? (We're Denstone Hall fans)
ReplyDeleteHow cute those pigs! I think it's amazing the fact you can stop for tea and cake anywhere in England!
ReplyDeletex
busybeejay - we didn't have cake because I had a birthday cake at home waiting for me - it was my birthday the day we made the trip:)
ReplyDeleteDiane - those little ones were cute - I tried not think what would eventually happen to them:)
Morningaj - there is a link on the post but it is Ford Hall near Market Drayton. We like Denstone Hall, too:)
Michela - I had birthday cake at home so didn't indulge at the farm cafe:)
Just seen from the comments that it was your birthday - I remembered the date from last year (I'm good with numbers!) and made a mental note to wish you a happy birthday, then forgot!!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed me Castleton Post, it is a lovely place at Christmas, I'm hoping to go this year as we've missed the lights for the last couple of years.
Fordhall looks very nice!
How lovely! A cast iron bridge? I cannot imagine such a lovely thing here..
ReplyDelete