Crossing water, rail and road
The parish of North Mymms has a surprisingly large number of bridges, many of which are at least 150 years old. Local historian and archivist Peter Miller has been researching local bridges and has produced the following report which includes all the major bridges that are approximately 100 years old or more. He has not included the more recent bridges over the A1M. There is an interactive map of all the locations at the foot of the page.
North Mymms’ major historical bridges
Bridges of the Ray Brook
Gobions brick bridge
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| Gobions brick bridge west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Gobions brick bridge east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
Gobions brick bridge spans the Ray Brook in the Grade II listed Gobions Park and Garden. The bridge is thought to have been constructed c1840 after Robert William Gaussen purchased the Gobions Estate in 1838 and amalgamated it with his existing Brookmans Estate.
A new south to north drive was created leading from Folly Arch in Hawkshead Road to the Brookmans Manor House (now demolished), which was located near the golf clubhouse and Chancellor's School.
There is no direct evidence to support the construction date, and it is possible that the bridge could be older. The bridge is now in a poor condition and, at the time of writing, was closed to the public by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, which manages Gobions Wood, following an engineer's report.
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| Gobions Bridge closed at time of writing (2019) Image by Peter Miller |
Blue Bridge
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| Blue Bridge east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Blue Bridge west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| A keystone is on both sides of Blue Bridge recording the construction date of 1840 Image by Peter Miller |
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| 1822 Ordnance Survey (OS) Map Showing road layout before New Road (Bluebridge Rd) was created Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
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| 1868 OS 6-inch map Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland |
East Coast Main Line railway bridge/tunnel
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| East Coast Main Line Railway Bridge/Tunnel west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
The East Coast Main Line bridge/tunnel is located midway between Brookmans Park station and Hawkshead Road to the south. It spans the Ray Brook and was constructed by Great Northern Railway (GNR) in the late 1840s prior to the opening of the London to York main line railway on 7 August 1850.
Bridges of the Mimmshall Brook
Hawkshead Lane Bridge, Warrengate
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| Hawkshead Lane Bridge, Warrengate - north elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Hawkshead Lane Bridge, Warrengate north elevation c1900 Photograph from the Images of North Mymms Collection George J. Knott/A. Nott |
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| Hawkshead Lane Bridge, Warrengate - south elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| 1868 OS 6-inch map Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland |
The tollgate, to which Warrengate Road owes its name, was located just to the south of the bridge on the county and parish boundary and is shown above as Warrengate T.P. (Turnpike). The gate was removed in May 1887 by the Marquess of Salisbury.
Water Works Bridge
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| Water Works Bridge south elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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Water Works Bridge south elevation 2019
Image by Peter Miller
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The bridge first appears on the 1914 25-inch OS map sheet XL.3 and appears to be the access to a well.
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| 1914 OS 25-inch map sheet XL.3 Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland |
The Barnet District Gas and Water Co. built a water pumping station at this location c1923.
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| North Mimms Pumping Station 1923 Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
High Bridge, Warrengate Road
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| High Bridge, Warrengate Road - south elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| High Bridge, Warrengate Road - looking west 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
A footbridge has existed in this location since at least 1868 and originally connected a footpath between Water End and Hawkshead Farm. It has been rebuilt from the original wooden structure and now connects with Wises Lane footpath (North Mymms footpath 11).
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| 1868 OS 6-inch map Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland |
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| High Bridge c1900 by George J. Knott Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
Bradmore Lane Bridge
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| Bradmore Lane Bridge north elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
The earliest definitive map reference is the 1868 6-inch to the mile Ordnance Survey map below. The bridge does not appear on the 1844 North Mimms Tithe Map. The original bridge was rebuilt in the C20, date unknown.
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| 1868 OS 6-inch map Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland |
Bridges of the River Colne
Swanland Road Bridge
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| Swanland Road Bridge east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Swanland Road Bridge west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
The Mimmshall Brook ordinarily terminates at the Water End swallow holes, but in times of heavy rainfall, a lake is formed and the overflow is carried in a normally dry riverbed underneath Swanland Road and the A1M and effectively becomes the head of the River Colne.
The Swanland Road Bridge was originally constructed as part of the Barnet By-Pass between 1923 and 1927.
Teakettle Bridge
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| Teakettle Bridge south-west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Teakettle Bridge north-east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
Teakettle Bridge is one of the oldest bridges in North Mymms and appears on the 1844 North Mimms Tithe Map. It stands on the southern end of Tollgate Road, which was once a major route between St Albans and London before the building of the Barnet By-Pass in 1927. The building of the A1M in 1976 severed the connection with Warrengate Road. It is not known how the bridge acquired its name.
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| 1844 Tithe Map showing Teakettle Bridge and Water End School immediately to the south Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
Church Avenue Bridge
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| Church Avenue Bridge south-east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Church Avenue Bridge north-west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
It is without doubt the oldest bridge location in North Mymms and a bridge of one form or another will have been at this location for many centuries. It is not known when the present bridge was constructed, although it is known from an early 20th century photograph that the railings on either side were extant then.
The bridge was strengthened in WWII to enable it to bear the additional load of the military vehicles that were accessing the U.S. General Hospital that was located in North Mymms Park.
In an article about the Water End swallow holes by H. M. Alderman in the Autumn 1955 edition of Hertfordshire Countryside, it is stated that the bridge is “a mean affair of weak lattice girders, insufficient to carry the normal traffic using the avenue leading to the church and beyond: it is strutted underneath as a safeguard”.
The struts, which are no longer extant, were presumably part of the strengthening for the U.S Hospital.
Bridge to main entrance to North Mymms Park
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| Bridge to main entrance to North Mymms Park south-east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Bridge to main entrance to North Mymms Park north-west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Architect’s drawing published in Academy Architecture 1899 Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
The bridge consists of four brick elliptical vaults, with stone dressings and cutwaters, and brick parapet walls with stone copings The centre pier cutwater carries a triangular recess corbelled over it. The entry to the bridge, at each end, is marked by a semi-octagonal bay spreading from the roadway, and terminated by small obelisks on pedestals, which form a stop to the walls.
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| Centre pier cutwater with triangular recess corbelled over it 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Octagon Lodge Gatehouse and the new bridge as seen from Church Avenue, c1900 Photograph from George J. Knott part of the Images of North Mymms Collection |
‘The photograph dates from 1902, when Octagon Lodge and the attractive bridge were newly built. The river bed between the two bridges presented this lawn-like appearance until World War II, when the southern, that is the public, bridge was reinforced to cope with the heavy traffic to and from the American general hospital in North Mymms Park. At about that time it was noticed that the river bed was beginning to break away and it is believed that the reinforcement of the bridge caused a turbulence which had not previously existed. Erosion has continued from that time.’The bridge is Grade II listed and described as:
‘Bridge and flanking walls. Adjoining main gates and octagonal lodge. 1893-4 by Sir Ernest George and Yates. Red brick with stone quoins and coping arches with stone surrounds triangular bastions on SW side. The flanking walls have terminal obelisks and scrolls.’
Bridges of the Skimpans Brook
Watersplash Bridge
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| Watersplash Bridge east elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Watersplash Bridge west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
The bridge is located on Station Road immediately to the south of Welham Green. The original bridge was constructed in 1920 and was dated on its east side. The bridge was rebuilt when the road was widened in October 1958.
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| Watersplash, Station Road Image from George J. Knott part of the Peter Miller Collection |
Before the bridge was built in 1920, a ford and wooden footbridge existed. This was known as the Watersplash.
Bridges of the East Coast Main Line railway
Hawkshead Bridge
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| Hawkshead Bridge south elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
Road bridge carrying Hawkshead Lane over the railway. Originally built by the GNR c1850 of brick with three arches and stone abutments, a brick parapet with stone coping and a wooden fence. The middle arch spanned two tracks and the outer ones, one track each. The bridge was largely rebuilt to facilitate electrification of the line in the 1970s. The piers remain but the remainder has been rebuilt with a concrete girder and metal parapet.
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| Hawkshead Bridge South Elevation in August 1959 before rebuilding Image from the Peter Miller Collection |
The undated pre-1850 GNR land acquisition map, below, illustrates the intent to construct the Hawkshead Bridge at right angles to the railway, rather than the skew bridge as it is today.
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| Pre-1850 GNR land acquisition map Image from the Peter Miller collection |
Brookmans Park Station Bridge
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Brookmans Park station bridge north elevation 2019
Image by Peter Miller
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| The original Brookmans Park station footbridge c1926 Image from G.J. Knott part of the Peter Miller Collection |
Bradmore Bridge
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| Bradmore Bridge north elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Bradmore Bridge north elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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Bradmore Gate 1868 OS 6-inch map
Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland
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| Pedestrian Bridge, south elevation, 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Brookmans Park Station road bridge May 1963 Image by Ron Kingdon, part of the Peter Miller Collection |
Skimpans Bridge
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| Skimpans Bridge west elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Skimpans Bridge west elevation detail 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Skimpans Bridge west elevation detail 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Skimpans Bridge east elevation detail 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
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| Skimpans Bridge east elevation detail 1982 Image by Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms Collection |
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| Skimpans Bridge girder replacement, east elevation, March/April 1968 Image Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms collection |
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| Skimpans Bridge girder replacement, east elevation, March/April 1968 Image Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms collection |
Marshmoor Bridge
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| Marshmoor Bridge south elevation 2019 Image by Peter Miller |
Road bridge, carrying Dixons Hill Road across the railway line, to Welham Green. Built by the GNR c1880 to replace Marshmoor Gate crossing, which connected Pooleys Lane with Marshmoor Lane. The bridge was originally constructed of brick with three arches, the middle over two tracks, the outer ones over one track each. A footpath on a steel frame was added on the south side in the 1960s. The bridge was completely rebuilt in brick and concrete to facilitate electrification of the line in the 1970s.
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Marshmoor Gate 1883 OS 6-inch map (surveyed 1873-1879)
Image courtesy of the National Library of Scotland
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| Original three-arch brick bridge in the 1960s - view from Travellers Lane Image by Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms collection |
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| Same view, summer 1986 Photograph by Mike Allen, part of the Images of North Mymms Collection |
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| The newly constructed Marshmoor footpath in the 1960s Image by Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms Collection |
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| View looking north showing the steel frame of the footpath on the south side of the bridge May 1963 Image by Ron Kingdon, part of the Images of North Mymms Collection |
By Peter Miller 2019
Peter Miller is one of the team of four responsible for the North Mymms History Project.
Map of major historical bridges in North Mymms
The map below is best viewed in full-screen mode. To activate, click on the oblong icon top right of the map to ‘View larger map’. The icon at the top left of the bar above the map will reveal the list of bridges. Click on the name of the bridge in that list to reveal more details. The colours are as follows:
- Blue = The bridges of the Ray Brook
- Orange = The bridges of the Mimmshall Brook
- Green = The bridges of the River Colne
- Grey = The bridge over Skimpans Brook
- Red = The bridges of the East Coast Main Line
Comments and information welcome
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