John sent in this fascinating photo of the old bridge over the River Stert — a hidden route that links Clifton Drive to Boxhill Park through a gap in the hedge. He tells me he used the bridge many times but has no idea of its history. Perhaps someone reading this does?
One particularly curious detail: the large tree you can see in the picture isn’t just next to the bridge — it’s actually growing out of it. John describes it as quite extraordinary. And I agree.
There’s been some tree work nearby recently, with a number of trees felled along the riverbank, but the bridge itself appears neglected. John wonders why there’s no visible effort to preserve it. It’s not just a practical footpath, but a part of Abingdon’s history being slowly reclaimed by nature.
I know the Town Council manages Boxhill Wood, but I’m not sure who’s responsible for the bridge or this stretch of the Stert. If anyone has more information — perhaps about the bridge’s age, who maintains it, or what its original purpose might have been — John and I would love to hear from you.
The bridge must predate 1874, as it can be seen on the map which accompanied the Fitzharris Manor sales particulars of that date – though of course it may have been rebuilt since then. The land on both sides of the Stert was part of the Fitzharris Estate, so the bridge was probably used for day-to-day estate access and management. The last resident owner of Fitzharris Manor, Major Corkran, slipped when crossing a bridge over the Stert in 1939 and fatally shot himself. However this was probably a plank bridge to the south of this one.
Mike Evans, a local historian, writes:
The bridge must predate 1874, as it can be seen on the map which accompanied the Fitzharris Manor sales particulars of that date – though of course it may have been rebuilt since then. The land on both sides of the Stert was part of the Fitzharris Estate, so the bridge was probably used for day-to-day estate access and management. The last resident owner of Fitzharris Manor, Major Corkran, slipped when crossing a bridge over the Stert in 1939 and fatally shot himself. However this was probably a plank bridge to the south of this one.