Clapper+Bridge

A clapper bridge is a primitive form of stone bridge made by laying large slabs of rock across stone piers. Classically, clapper bridges were built near fords, situating them close to established paths, and some were quite large. Most clapper bridges are found in the United Kingdom. This bridge design is believed to be prehistoric in origin, although most of the surviving clapper bridges only date to the medieval period. To make a clapper bridge, construction teams had to haul and cut rocks to make piers, and then find large slabs of rock to lie across the piers. Some clapper bridges were wide enough to accommodate a cart, while others were designed for pedestrians or riders only, with carts proceeding in the ford next to the clapper bridge. Typically, niceties such as rails were lacking, and many clapper bridges were established in very shallow water, so a fall would not have been catastrophic. The term “ clapper ” comes from the Anglo-Saxon //cleaca//, “to bridge stepping stones,” which provides some hints into the origins of the clapper bridge. This design probably evolved from the stepping stones once used by pedestrians to cross rivers, with some smart engineer realizing that the stepping stones could be turned into a bridge with the use of slabs or rock or wood. The bridge is in a small place called Postbridge which has little to offer the tourist except it is in the middle of the Dartmoor National Park in Devon. The bridge is the finest example of a clapper bridge in Devon. The clapper bridge straddles the East Dart River, just twenty meters from the main road bridge (built in the 1780's), and is clearly visible as you drive through the village. The bridge is constructed from four large granite slabs supported by three granite piers. The large slabs are each over 4m long and 2m wide and weigh over 8 tons each. Clapper bridges are unique to the dartmoor area. There are 30 bridges in total on Dartmoor, being constructed in the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries by medieval tin workers and farmers as crossings over the many small rivers that traverse the moorland. Dr Mary