i) THE GREAT BRIDGE OF BURTON-ON-TREN?. 
The Gate would undoubtedly be built for defence and also for 
the control of the traffic of the bridge, which on a long bridge 515 
yards in length and a clear roadway of only 15 feet, would require 
controlling ; also, for the collection of “ pontage” which was granted 
by the King for repair. There seems to be some confusion as to 
this gate, as the gate is said at one time to have stood across the 
bottom of High Street, which gave the name to two houses called 
Bargates. If there ever was a gate, I think there is no doubt that 
it was the old bridge gate taken down in 1777 and re-erected there, 
for a gate in that position would be of no use for any purpose. 
With regard to the Bridge Chapel, we have fortunately some 
good specimens left to us to this day, and long may they stand. The 
building of Bridges and the repair of Roads were looked upon as acts 
of charity, and, as I quoted before in my paper on Monk’s Bridge, 
Bishops granted indulgences to those whv helped in the erection. 
So great was the need of authority, that an Urder of Friars sprang 
up in France whose temporal labour was devoted alone to the struc- 
ture of bridges. In England, in many cases, the bridges were under 
the care of religious Guilds; that of the Holy Cross at Birmingham 
had the maintenance of at least one bridge under its charge. 
The custom of erecting a small chapel on a bridge were it under’ 
the care of a guild would be only a fitting dedication of a work of 
charity, there the Guild members could meet and sing their requiem 
and dirge for departed members, and remember the benefactors in 
the Holy Mass, and say the Guild offices ; here pilgrims and footsore 
travellers could rest. Amongst the most beautiful, there is in 
Wakefield “a fair bridge of stone of nine arches, under which 
runneth the river Calder; and on the East side of this bridge is a 
right goodley Chapel of our Lady, and two cantuarie priests founded 
in it.” At Rotherham is another fine example ; at Derby is another, 
which is still in use ; and at Bradford-on-Avon a most curious little 
Chapel. These, owing to the rivers running East and West, are built 
out generally from one of the piers. The Chapel of 8S, Thomas, on Old 
