The original bridge that spanned the gap between the parish of Brosley and Sutton Maddock was constructed of wood leading to the adjacent inn being named ‘The Woodbridge‘.
The name ‘Woodbridge’ comes from the bridge adjacent to the pub which connects the parish of Brosley on the south bank of the river and Sutton Maddock on the north bank. Architect and bridge builder William Hayward designed the bridge, which was the first crossing of the Severn at Coalport. His scheme encompassed two timber-framed arches built on stone abutments and a pier, and was opened in 1780.
The opening of the bridge was somewhat played down as the impending showcase “Iron Bridge” further upstream was already being trumpeted as a technical masterpiece. The wooden bridge did not survive long unfortunately, as the central pier was severely damaged by flooding in a storm in 1795.
As you can see the current bridge is no longer constructed of wood:
After the destruction of 1795, the bridge remained closed until the Trustees, of what was to become known as Coalport Bridge, had it rebuilt in 1799 as a hybrid of wood, brick and cast-iron parts, cast by John Onions. The two original spans were removed and replaced by a single span of three cast iron ribs, which sprang from the original outer sandstone pier bases. The bridge deck was further supported by two square brick piers, the northern one constructed directly on top of the stone pier base and the southern one set back slightly towards the river bank. The remainder of the superstructure was built of wood and may have reused some of the original beams. However by 1817, this bridge was failing again, attributed to the insufficient number of cast iron ribs proving inadequate for the volume of traffic. Consequently, the bridge proprietors decided to rebuild Coalport Bridge once again, but this time they chose to do so completely in iron.
The date of 1818 displayed on the bridge’s midspan panel refers to this substantial work which allowed the bridge to stand without major repairs, for the next 187 years.
The full history can be viewed here.
Tags: Bridge, Coalport, Shropshire, The Woodbridge
…History& Myth…
From Solomon’s Temple to the Freemasons, a guide to Templar History, Culture and Locations…
Synopsis from the book cover:
An order of warrior monks founded after the First Crusade to protect pilgrims to Jerusalem, the Templars became one of the wealthiest and most powerful bodies in the medieval world. Yet two centuries later, the Knights were suddenly arrested and accused of blasphemy, heresy and orgies, their order was abolished, and their leaders burnt at the stake. Their dramatic end shocked their contemporaries and has gripped imaginations ever since.
This new book is the first history since the Vatican published sensational records of the trial, showing that the Templars were innocent of heresy. It investigates the history, legends and locations associated with the Templar’s rise and fall. And it examines the myths surrounding the Knights the belief that their hand can be sen in everything from the Cathar heresy to Masonic conspiracies as well as their appearance in popular culture from Indiana Jones to Dan Brown.
Review:
The book gives a good overview of the Knights Templar, starting with the development of the order. The main body of the book sticks to accepted facts and covers the various crusades and the characters along with the surrounding politics that were at play. The book also covers who the Templars were, the secret of their wealth and power and why the Pope and the King of France sought to destroy them.
The conspiracy theories surrounding the Templars are covered in a separate section towards the back of the book followed by a chapter on the Templars in popular culture. The book concludes with suggested further reading and a list of useful websites.
Tags: Book Review, Cherie's Place Thought, Factual, Review
It was such a lovely afternoon on Friday that Mr C phoned me up at work and hinted that it might be nice to have a barbecue. He only hinted in a roundabout way because whenever he says the word or even thinks about a barbecue it brings on the rain…
I agreed to the hint and when I arrived home from work the barbecue coals were being prepared. I sat on one of the patio chairs whilst the preparations took place. I was joined by an unexpected guest, the ginger cat from next door. He sat next to me for a while but his real purpose was to get into the kitchen and I had to field him more than once.
When Mr C brought the meat out from the kitchen to put on the barbecue, Mr Cat followed him licking his lips. It was then I realised that Mr Cat had chicken dinner on his mind.
Mr Cat then came back and sat next to me on the patio until the food was nearly cooked, he then started circling the barbecue before he assumed the position. I recognised the tell-tale signs that he was going to leap onto the barbecue. I coaxed him away… barbecued cat was ‘NOT’ on the menu!
He did what all cats do, the rubbing around the legs, and then he looked up and gave me an expectant gaze. I said ‘you can be as cute as you like but you are not getting on the barbecue’. He then turned his back on me and walked off round to the front of the house.
I expected to see him sitting on my doormat when I left to visit my Mum later in the evening. He wasn’t there, but I did see a pair of eyes, a nose and some whiskers peeping out from beneath my car 
I have not seen him since Friday, which is rather unusual…
Tags: BBQ, Cherie's Place, Garden, iPhone
The world, harmoniously confused,
Where order in variety we see,
And where, tho’ all things differ,
All agree.
Alexander Pope (1688 – 1744)
Tags: Cherie's Place Thought, Chirk castle, Leaf, National Trust
An uncommon shape for a window.
More uncommon shapes can be found here.
Tags: 52 Photos Project, Ludlow Castle, Shropshire, Window
