West Mill Bridge at Watchfield

The Bridge that takes traffic over the river Cole at West Mill, Watchfield, must have been repaired and changed many times over the centuries. In the early 18th century Rate Payers were required to provide the money. At a Vestry Meeting held on 21 November, 1736 it was agreed, ‘To allow to the Supervisors of the Highways a 7d tax in order to defray the expenses of the Trial at Sessions concerning the repairing or rebuilding of West Mill Bridge, that the same be made out on the respective estates within the Tything of Watchfield according to the usual custom, that the said tax be forthwith collected by the Supervisors. If any money remains after the sum of £14.9.8 be paid off, the remainder is to be paid to the immediate Overseer of the Poor.’

But 140 years later the bridge was obviously in a bad way when an advertisement was placed in the Faringdon Advertiser by the County Surveyor, inviting tenders to build a new Wrought Iron Bridge at West Mill. 

In the early 21st century, the road was closed for several months, whilst another new bridge was constructed, but it was the first bridge to be built of Kevlar, a synthetic material that is very light but immensely strong.