Bampton Chain Bridge
This is a lattice girder bridge, with chains giving the appearance of a chain suspension bridge. The piers may belong to an 1834 suspension bridge. It is on a private road leading from the A396 to Stuckeridge House.
1834 'NORTH DEVON. TO BE SOLD BY PRIVATE CONTRACT, A Very Valuable FREEHOLD PROPERTY, situate in the parish of OAKFORD, the county of Devon, between Tiverton and Dulverton; comprising THE STUCKERIDGE ESTATE, about 416 Acres. LOWER OAKFORD ESTATE, (with Water Grist Mill, on the river Eve) ..... STUCKERIDGE HOUSE, fit for the residence of family of the first respectability, is a modern structure, .... from the road between Tiverton and Dulverton, where an ornamental suspension bridge has lately been erected over the beautiful river Exe, ....'[1]
1841 Newspaper report concerning the effects of flooding by the River Exe: 'We are told that part of the elegant suspension bridge laid over the river at Stuckeridge, the property of T. Daniel, Esq., has been washed away, ....' [2]. It has not been determined whether this was on the site of the present bridge.
Undated postcard photograph here[3]. This shows that the deck is a substantial riveted x-braced structure. The appearance of the piers suggests that they are of an earlier date.
Extract from the Historic England entry[4]:-
'Bridge carrying private road to Stuckeridge House (qv) across the Exe. Probably early C19. Iron structure disguised as suspension bridge with chains fixed to stone piers. Rectangular section battered piers with sunk mouldings. Chains slung across the river from piers and fixed to the ground. Slender iron columnar verticals fixed to the chains are attached to the bridge girders which are also fixed to the piers. Parapets of cross-braced girders.'