Traditional 18th Century refurbishment for Herefordshire toll bridge

Whitney Bridge, spanning the River Wye, at Whitney-on-Wye has been undergoing a true ‘back to the past’ refurbishment.

The ancient monument was recently named as the ‘Best Visitor Attraction in the County’ by Visit Herefordshire, the destination tourism marketing organisation for Herefordshire.
 
Husband and wife owners, Maggie Taylor and Grahame Penny, searched the whole country and beyond to find a suitable craftsman who could replace the old lime mortar in the brickwork at their privately owned and self-funded 18th century toll bridge, with the same kind of mortar used to build it, rather than the sand and cement mix that’s more commonly used in buildings today.
 
“Apparently, lime mortar allows for the movement in the wooden structure of the bridge, which it was why it was used in the initial construction hundreds of years back in the 18th century.” Said Maggie Taylor.
 
“After months of research we eventually, to our great surprise, found a traditional stone mason right here on our doorstep in nearby Bredwardine who could do the job.”
 
“Hugh Peachey, from The Mason’s Yard, has been working hard here at the bridge replacing the lime mortar for several weeks and we’re absolutely delighted with the results. It won’t need doing for another couple of hundred years!”
 
Crossing the River Wye at Whitney-on-Wye, Whitney Bridge provides a short cut, reducing the travelling distance between the A438 Hereford/Brecon Road and Hay-on-Wye by six miles, making a small charge to vehicles crossing in order to pay for its upkeep and maintenance.
 
Full details about Whitney Bridge can be found at www.whitneybridge.co.uk