AD PONTES 85 



Exeter Road over the river, jiiid is of a severe classic 

 aspect whicli might find favour with the resurrected 

 Romans ; but what could they think of the other ? 



We may see an additional importance in this situa- 

 tion of Ad Pontes in the fact that between Staines 

 Bridge and London Bridge there was anciently no 

 other passage across the river, save by the hazardous 

 expedient of fording it at certain points. The only 

 way to the West of England in mediaeval times, it 

 was then of wood, and zealously kept in repair by 

 the grant of trees from the Royal Forest of Windsor 

 and by the pontage, or bridge toll levied from 

 passengers. Still, it was often broken down by 

 floods. The poet Gay, in his Journey to Exeter, says, 

 passing Hounslow : — 



Thence, o'er wide shrubby heaths, and furrowed lanes. 

 We come, where Thames divides the meads of Staines. 

 We ferried o'er ; for late the Winter's flood 

 Shook her frail bridge, and tore her piles of wood. 



That would probably have been about the year 1720. 

 In 1791 an Act of Parliament authorised the building 

 of a new bridge, and accordingly a stone structure 

 was begun, and eventually opened in 1797. This 

 had to be demolished, almost immediately, owing to 

 a failure of one of its piers, and an iron bridge was 

 built in its stead, presently to meet with much the 

 same fate. This, then, gave place to the existing 

 bridge. 



The ' Vine Inn,' which once stood by the bridge and 

 was a welcome sight to travellers, has disappeared, 

 too-ether Avith most of the old hostelries that once 



