CHAP. i. <>LI> IJIIIIMIKS. 939 



l>v means of stone bridges of a more solid mid permanent 

 character. 



The first of such bridges in Britain were probably 

 tliose erected across tli<> streams of Dartmoor. The rivers 

 of that district are rapid and turbulent in winter, and 

 come sweeping down from the hills with great fury. 

 The deep gorges worn by them in the rocks amidst 

 which they run, prevented their being forded in the 

 usual way; and the ordinary expedient of bridging the 

 gaps in the track by means of felled trees thrown across, 

 was found impracticable in a district where no trees 

 grew. But there was an abundance of granite blocks, 

 which not only afforded the means of forming solid piers, 

 but were also of sufficient size to be laid in a tabular form 

 from one pier to another, so as to constitute a solid 

 enough road for horsemen and foot-passengers. Hence 

 tlie Egyptian-looking Cyclopean bridges of Dartmoor 

 a series of structures most probably coeval with the 

 building of Stonehenge, and of the greatest possible 

 interest. One of the largest of these bridges is that 

 crossing the East Dart, near Post Bridge, on the road 

 between Moreton and Tavistock, of which we have above 

 given a representation. Though the structure is rude, 

 it is yet of a most durable character, otherwise it could 

 not have withstood the fury of the Dart for full twenty 

 centuries, as it most probably has done. The bridge is 

 of three piers, each consisting of six layers of granite- 

 slabs above the foundation. One of the side piers, by 

 an-ident or design, has unfortunately been displaced, and 

 the tabular slabs originally placed upon it now lie in tlu- 

 bottom of the river. Each of the table stones is about 

 fifteen feet long and six feet wide, and the whole structure 

 is held together merely by the weight of the blocks. 



There are other more perfect specimens of these Cyclo- 

 pean bridges in existence on Dartmoor, but none of a 

 size equal to that above delineated. For instance, there 

 is one of three openings, in a very complete state, in 



