WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY THE AUTHOR. 



By R. G. BROCKLEHURST. 



(Read 10th December t 1908. ) 



I HOUGH bridges are most necessary and useful, few 

 people give a thought to their architectural 

 features. The modern ideas of bridge con- 

 struction do not tend towards beauty and grace in 

 design, or picturesque effect, as traffic now-a-days 

 requires steel bridges to be safely supported. 

 However, in Dorset we still have some fine old 

 imposing stone bridges in an excellent state of preservation ; 

 and in this paper I propose to illustrate some of those which 

 span the rivers Frome and Stour, and also a few others. 



" Grey's Bridge " over the Frome at the Fordington side of 

 Dorchester is a plain structure dating from the middle of the 

 eighteenth century, and is of a Renaissance style and character. 

 It has three semi-circular arches, the central one being larger 

 than the others. There are small arch stones and a moulded 

 hood around. Above is a plinth and then a bold plain parapet. 

 This bridge is best seen from the meadows and towpaths, with 

 Fordington Church tower in the distance. 



