Bridges - 45 Poulter's Bridge     Crookham PREVIOUS       NEXT

Poulter's Bridge is 300 yards from the swing bridge, and is one of the original red-brick single-arch bridges dating around 1792 from the building of the canal.     At some time it has been strengthened with four pairs of tied circular iron pattress plates. When the bridge was restored in 1977 by Crookham Village Association it had a limit of 4 tons axle weight until 1994.     In that year the arch was strengthened with a concrete saddle and this allowed the weight limit to be removed. The strengthening works revealed that the brick arch barrel was only one brick thick with ribs formed by an extra line of bricks under the wheel track positions.     Underneath the bridge, the canal has a brick invert strengthening the foundations.

Looking downstream from the bridge. One may see at times an occasional narrowboat enjoying the quiet seclusion of this section.     Continuing upstream, from here onwards the countryside becomes a little less wooded.     At the side of the towpath is one of the seats installed in the year 2000 to celebrate the start of the new millennium (which, strictly speaking, began with the year 2001....).

Millennium ? As, in our numerical reckoning of years, there was no year 0, the first decade was from year 1 to year 10. Thus the second decade started with the year 11. The first Century ended with year 100, the 10th Century ending with year 1000. Thus the Twentieth Century (which began in 1901) ended with the year 2000. Therefore the 21st Century (our new 'Millennium') began with the year 2001. [Q.E.D.]

Half the cost of the seat was paid for by Crookham Village Parish Council and half by a local lady.     Beyond the Crookham Village Millennium Seat.....     .... until Chequer's Bridge is reached (just visible in the distance), 500 yards from Poulters Bridge.

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Last updated August 2004