County Bridge, Mytholmroyd - TWA00244

MYTHOLMROYD COUNTY BRIDGE. The first reference to this bridge is in Holinshed's Chronicles (1577) where the river Calder is described as receiving "one rill neere Elphabrught Bridge." Elphabrough Hall was an important hall on the Cragg Vale bank of the Calder. A resolution of the 1638 West Riding Quarter Sessions describes the repair of the bridge. "On petition of Sowerby inhabitants as to the greate decay of Mythomroyde Bridge, standing over the water of Calder, within the Wapentake of Agbrigg and Morley in this West Riding, and for that it appeareth that they are sore charged with Bridges within the said Townshipp, and that the sum of cli (£100) will but repaire the same. This Court doth thinke fitt and soe order xli (£10) to be estreated on said Wapentake and paide over unto the hands of John Stansfeild of Sowerby and Abraham Sunderland of Errenden, who are desired to see the same frugallie bestowed aboute the saide Bridge." In 1659 the Constable bought timber and a tree for the repair of the bridge. In 1684 on October 6th Timothy Wadsworth was paid £50 for build¬ing of "Mithamroyd Bridge." At Bradford West Riding Sessions in July 1722 the bridge was to be repaired. Sowerby paying one half and Erringden the other half. BY 1752 Mytholmroyd Bridge was a Wapentake bridge. The stone bridge was built in two parts. The original was the downstream section. The second part of the bridge, upstream, was added when the Crage Vale road was turnpiked early in the nineteenth century. The width of this part of the bridge was nine feet, but the downstream section has been widened considerably. This road was the last to be turnpiked and the last to be freed from tolls in this area.

Tom Walker

Olwen Forest

1960 , 1960s

PHDA - Tom Walker Collection

Pennine Horizons Digital Archive

TWA00244.tif