Trinity Bridge

Trinity Bridge stands in the centre of Crowland, a small town in Lincolnshire. It is a three-way stone arch bridge built in the 14th century, replacing earlier wooden structures. The bridge once spanned where the River Welland split into two channels, but the rivers have since been rerouted. It is made of Barnack stone, quarried about 16 kilometres west of the town. The bridge is now a scheduled monument and Grade I listed building. The bridge’s unusual design allowed it to cross two watercourses with a single structure. It has three stairways that meet at the top, forming an equilateral triangle. In the 17th century, the rivers were redirected, leaving the bridge without water beneath it. A 19th-century description noted its three pointed arches and nine stone ribs meeting in the centre. Visitors to Crowland find the bridge in the town’s heart, surrounded by quiet streets. The structure’s triangular shape and historic stonework draw attention. A watercolour of the bridge from 1952 is held in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Though no longer spanning water, the bridge remains a striking example of medieval engineering.