Photograph - Mono (Document ID: 100753)
View of Old Packhorse Bridge, Hebden Bridge, West Yorkshire.
Author: Unknown
Date: not dated
Location: Hebden Bridge
Format: Photograph - Mono
Document ID: 100753
Library ID: 992272
The town of Hebden Bridge lies at the junction of Hebden Water with the River Calder. The crossing over the Hebden was initially a ford, but by the late 14th century the place was being identified as Heptenbryge. In a 1477 record, a wooden bridge is mentioned across the river.
The packhorse bridge over the Hebden Water is known as the Old Bridge, and was built in 1510 with money raised from local collections and benefactors. During the Civil War, there was a battle at the bridge in 1643. Repairs to the bridge in 1600, 1602 and 1657 are recorded on a plaque.
The mixed economy weaving community of this period grew in the 18th century into a town specialising in cotton-spinning, by which time the bridge proved too steep and small, and the West End bridge was constructed in 1772. The Old Bridge was still in use in the mid-19th century, when the parapet was repaired in 1845 and raised in 1890. There are five bridges in the town today.
The old packhorse bridge is a grade II* listed building. The following is from Calderdale Council's Listed Buildings description:
The Old Bridge, Old Gate, Hebden Bridge West Yorkshire (formerly listed as Old Hebden Bridge). Packhorse bridge, c.1510. Has plaques recording repairs of 1600, 1602 and 1657. The parapet repaired in 1845 and raised in 1890. Large dressed stone. 3 segmental arches the voussoirs chamfered with 2 pointed breakwaters rising the full height of the parapet to the south west. Similar to north east but one is capped off at keystone level where a wall abuts. Three inscribed date plaques: REPAYERED: BY TH E.RIDINGE: BY ORD REPAIRED BY HELP OF ER: OF SESSIONS (B) Y GVST : 1657 RICHARD : NALER Y R.G.R.G. SESSIONS 1602 REPAIRED BY HELP OF JOHN : GREENWOOD SESSIONS 1600 The land arch to the east bank originally served the tail-goit of Bridge Mill, once the Memorial Corn Mill. Scheduled Ancient Monument. [Calder Civic Trust, Hebden Bridge Trail (Bolton, no date), p.5. D. Thomas, The Old Bridge, Hebden Bridge lit. & Sci. Soc., Local History Booklets Vol. 3, (Hebden Bridge, 1982), p.3. N. Pevsner, Yorkshire West Riding, (1967), p.260.]
