Burrow Bridge
Burrow Bridge is of some significance to your web master as my great grandfather William Luxton and his wife Annie Luxton owned a farm in the area. As to exactly where I do not know. My great grandfather died in 1912 and is interred in Aller Churchyard a few miles away. I am trying to piece together my family history and hence I paid a visit to Burrow Bridge for only the second time in my life despite passing through Somerset regularly.
Burrow Bridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset located beside the River Parrett and A361 road in the Somerset West and Taunton district, on the edge of the Somerset Levels. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) south east of Bridgwater, and has a population of 508.
The name probably comes from the Old English buruh (fortified hill) and brycg (bridge).
A prominent landmark is Burrow Mump, an ancient earthwork now owned by the National Trust, presented by Major A.C. Barrett in 1946 as a war memorial. Burrow Mump is also known as St Michael's Borough or Tutteyate. It is a natural hill of Triassic sandstone capped by Keuper marl. Excavations showed evidence of a 12th-century masonry building on the top of the hill. The first recorded writing mentioning this site is from William of Worcestre about 1480 when he referred to it as Myghell-borough.
A medieval church dedicated to St Michael from at least the mid 15th century formed a sanctuary for royalist troops in 1645. The ruins visible today are from the 18th century.
The historic area of the Isle of Athelney is located towards the western part of the village.
Prior to 1826, the bridge over the River Parrett, just below the junction with the River Tone, consisted of three arches, each only a little wider than the barges which used the river. They restricted the flow of water in times of flood, and made navigation difficult. The bridge was highlighted in a report made by William Armstrong in 1824, as a factor which would prevent the River Tone Navigation competing with the new Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, then being built.
An Act of Parliament was obtained in 1824 by the Turnpike Commissioners, authorising the construction of a new bridge and the removal of the old. A design for a 70-foot (21 m) single-span bridge in cast iron was dropped because of the cost of cast iron at the time, and instead a stone bridge was built and completed in 1826
The bridge is the longest single span masonry road bridge in the county, and was the last toll bridge in Somerset, before being 'freed' in 1946.
Except on spring tides, Burrowbridge was the normal upper limit for barges riding the incoming tide. Above here, horses were used to pull the boats, either towards Langport or along the River Tone towards Taunton.
There are four active pumping stations within the parish: all are now electric, with diesel backup. One more is redundant: the Aller Moor station near the bridge is now incorporated into a private house.
The original mid 19th century machinery is listed and preserved in situ. A few miles west is the preserved very early Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum, which is in steam on regular occasions.
Read MoreBurrow Bridge is a village and civil parish in Somerset located beside the River Parrett and A361 road in the Somerset West and Taunton district, on the edge of the Somerset Levels. It is located 5 miles (8.0 km) south east of Bridgwater, and has a population of 508.
The name probably comes from the Old English buruh (fortified hill) and brycg (bridge).
A prominent landmark is Burrow Mump, an ancient earthwork now owned by the National Trust, presented by Major A.C. Barrett in 1946 as a war memorial. Burrow Mump is also known as St Michael's Borough or Tutteyate. It is a natural hill of Triassic sandstone capped by Keuper marl. Excavations showed evidence of a 12th-century masonry building on the top of the hill. The first recorded writing mentioning this site is from William of Worcestre about 1480 when he referred to it as Myghell-borough.
A medieval church dedicated to St Michael from at least the mid 15th century formed a sanctuary for royalist troops in 1645. The ruins visible today are from the 18th century.
The historic area of the Isle of Athelney is located towards the western part of the village.
Prior to 1826, the bridge over the River Parrett, just below the junction with the River Tone, consisted of three arches, each only a little wider than the barges which used the river. They restricted the flow of water in times of flood, and made navigation difficult. The bridge was highlighted in a report made by William Armstrong in 1824, as a factor which would prevent the River Tone Navigation competing with the new Bridgwater and Taunton Canal, then being built.
An Act of Parliament was obtained in 1824 by the Turnpike Commissioners, authorising the construction of a new bridge and the removal of the old. A design for a 70-foot (21 m) single-span bridge in cast iron was dropped because of the cost of cast iron at the time, and instead a stone bridge was built and completed in 1826
The bridge is the longest single span masonry road bridge in the county, and was the last toll bridge in Somerset, before being 'freed' in 1946.
Except on spring tides, Burrowbridge was the normal upper limit for barges riding the incoming tide. Above here, horses were used to pull the boats, either towards Langport or along the River Tone towards Taunton.
There are four active pumping stations within the parish: all are now electric, with diesel backup. One more is redundant: the Aller Moor station near the bridge is now incorporated into a private house.
The original mid 19th century machinery is listed and preserved in situ. A few miles west is the preserved very early Westonzoyland Pumping Station Museum, which is in steam on regular occasions.
