254 SOME DORSET BRIDGES. 



undercut, and the whole is crowned by a moulded coping. 

 Between the side arches are small triangular pilasters, finished 

 above the cornice, and under the coping, similar in shape, but 

 smaller in size. The road, running as it does at right angles to 

 the bridge-road, gives one an excellent opportunity of studying 

 this bridge without the necessity of standing in meadows; and 

 the roadway down to the water, the trees, and distant country all 

 make a good setting. 



At Blandford the Stour is crossed by a good bridge of six 

 arches, plain and high. The arches are semi-circular with slightly 

 projecting key stones, and at the base there are small buttresses 

 only a few feet above highest water mark. The position of this 

 bridge is relatively the same as at Sturminster Newton, and a fine 

 belt of trees runs along the sweep of one bank. 



The bridge at Spetisbury, known as " Crawford Bridge," is of 

 very strong construction, being long and narrow, giving it a low 

 appearance. It has nine arches of grey stone to carry it. On 

 the upstream side there are strong and particularly heavy 

 triangular buttresses, each alternate one forming a recess to the 

 road level, and the others finishing with splayed water tabling, 

 under the coping of the parapet. The other side of the bridge 

 is quite plain, having no buttresses whatsoever. The main 

 Blandford road runs parallel with the river at this point, and some 

 fine views are obtained of this bridge from the higher ground. 

 In the year 1500 it was in a ruinous condition, but through public 

 contributions it was renovated. 



St. Julian's Bridge at Wimborne is handsome and large. The 

 river is wider here, and eight slightly depressed pointed arches 

 span it. These arches are carefully worked underneath, and the 

 spandrils are of stone. A moulded cornice runs along over the 

 heads of the arches, and the parapet above is of bricks with 

 bonding stones at certain intervals, and at the angles, made by 

 projecting buttresses. These buttresses are three in number to 

 each side, triangular, and carried on circular moulded corbels 

 of four courses each. The cornice is continued round the 

 buttresses, and the parapet has a plain stone coping. The 



