Stramongate Bridge

Today's the day ..................... for some Kendal town history

This is my local bridge - the one where the goosanders are to be found. I walked over it today and the River Kent was very high and fast flowing beneath it.

Stramongate Bridge carries the old A6 over the river and is a medieval four arched construction, made up essentially of three road bridges amalgamated into one. In 1794, the town decided to built a new wider bridge but the original 14th century 'pack horse' bridge was so well constructed that it had to remain in situ and an additional single track bridge was built on either side.

Before the bridge was built, a ford would have been used to cross the river. The ford was the site of the town's ducking stool, or the 'Cuckstool' overlooked by a watchman's box. The ducking stool was used to punish 'scolding women' who were treated the same as those who broke the peace.

Glad to say that there was no one being ducked today ........!