Dob Park Bridge

Dob Park Bridge is a historic stone footbridge in the village of Norwood, North Yorkshire, England. Spanning the River Washburn, it has linked the old Dob Park Mill with the surrounding settlements for centuries. Today it is a quiet stop for walkers exploring the Washburn Valley, within the Nidderdale National Landscape.

What is Dob Park Bridge?

It is a packhorse bridge: a narrow crossing built for pack animals that once carried goods along rural routes, as well as for people on foot. Carts and cars cannot use it. The design is plain and economical, with a single high round arch, a surface of stone setts, and flat parapet blocks held together with iron staples. It is built of gritstone, the rough sandstone typical of northern England.

How old is the bridge?

Sources do not fully agree. One source says a crossing of the Washburn existed here by the 16th century and that the present bridge was rebuilt in 1738 for £50, keeping some early 16th-century material. The official listing dates it to the early 17th century, with 18th-century repairs. The safest summary is that it dates from the turn of the medieval and early modern periods and has been repaired more than once.

Why is it protected?

Dob Park Bridge is a Grade II listed structure, designated on 22 November 1966. Its Historic England list entry number is 1295637. Of the 16 listed buildings in Norwood parish, it is the only one that is not a house, farmhouse or farm building, which makes it a good reminder of the area's old network of horse-drawn trade routes.

What was it used for?

The bridge carried the route from Dob Park Mill across the river towards Norwood and Fewston. It also sits on the boundary between the parishes of Newall with Clifton and Weston, so it has long marked an administrative edge as well as a path.

Tips for visiting

• The bridge is narrow and for pedestrians only.
• The surroundings are classic Washburn Valley scenery of river, woodland and fields, good for short walks.
• Paths approach from the Norwood side; check a current trail map before setting out.
• It is a protected structure, so do not climb the parapets or remove stones.

Frequently asked questions

Where is Dob Park Bridge? Near the village of Norwood, close to Harrogate in North Yorkshire, over the River Washburn.

Is it a listed monument? Yes. It has been Grade II listed since 1966.

What is it made of? Gritstone, a hard local sandstone.

Can you walk across it? Yes, it is a footbridge with a surface of stone setts.

How old is it? From the turn of the 16th and 17th centuries, with an 18th-century rebuild (1738 according to one source).