Bridging the gap

Out for a walk with my friend Neil this morning.  This bridge was designed by Thomas Telford and crosses a wee river on the outskirts on Stony Stratford ( a small town in North Bucks noted for two pubs - the Cock and the Bull - and the source apparently of 'Cock and Bull' stories).

The road carried by this bridge is the A5 (aka Watling Street) and runs from London to Holyhead.  Prior to the construction of the bridge, the river often turned into a muddy ditch, causing chaos for the horse and coach trade.  It is rumoured that the 'muddy ditching' was done deliberately to slow traffic through the town, enabling local traders to benefit from the traffic jams.  The need to solve this problem led to the formation of what eventually became a National Highways Agency.

My walks with Neil - him being a Cambridge professor as well as grand wizard of the mandolin - are always educational journeys.