Information for record number MWA429:
Little Packington Bridge

Summary Little Packington Bridge dates from the Post Medieval period, but has been damaged and repaired many times. It is situated 250m east of Brook Farm.
What Is It?  
Type: Packhorse Bridge
Period: Post-medieval - Modern (1540 AD - 2050 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Little Packington
District: North Warwickshire, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 21 85
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Scheduled Monument (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: II)
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

 
Source Number  

1 Over the river Blythe near Little Packington is a packhorse bridge of C17 date. This carries the track which crosses the N part of Packington Park.
2 Although at first sight an early packhorse bridge, it is of a much later period, not earlier than the C17. This formerly carried the main road from Meriden to Coleshill, but Lord Aylesford diverted it in 1761.
3 Listed Building List.
4 This late Medieval bridge has 4 arches over the Blythe and 2 flood arches in the approach. The latter and 1 of the main arches remain, the rest was carried away by flood in about 1900, and was repaired in timber. The cutwaters have splayed tops starting from the path level. The parapets are comparatively modern, the width of the path 1.37m between. It has been a good deal repaired from time to time. 1983: There is a stone abutment with a half round 3.3m span arch and pier with V-shaped cutwaters each side. The rest of the river is spanned by a modern aluminium bridge erected by Warwicks CC. Beyond the embankment there are 2 flood arches with 1 pier with cutwaters and then another embankment pierced by Staffordshire brick tunnel openings. Cracks are evident in places.
5 Scheduling map.
 
Sources

Source No:
Source Type: Desk Top Study
Title: Historic Road Bridges in Warwickshire
Author/originator: N.Palmer and G. Booth
Date: 1997
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 5
Source Type: Map
Title: Little Packington Bridge
Author/originator: DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 42
Author/originator: Cossins J A
Date: 1916
Page Number: 9
Volume/Sheet: 42
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Serial
Title: TBAS vol 69
Author/originator: Sapcote E S
Date: 1951
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 69
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: SAM list 1985
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1985
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Scheduling record
Title: Little Packington Bridge
Author/originator: Ministry of Works/DoE
Date:
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: AM7
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
none Scheduled Monument Scheduled Ancient Monuments (SAMs) are those archaeological sites which are legally recognised as being of national importance. They can range in date from prehistoric times to the Cold War period. They can take many different forms, including disused buildings or sites surviving as earthworks or cropmarks.

SAMs are protected by law from unlicensed disturbance and metal detecting. Written consent from the Secretary of State must be obtained before any sort of work can begin, including archaeological work such as geophysical survey or archaeological excavation. There are nearly 200 SAMs in Warwickshire.
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designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source SAM List Scheduled Ancient Monument List. A list or schedule of archaelogical and historic monuments that are considered to be of national importance. The list contains a detailed description of each Scheduled Ancient Monument (SAM) and a map showing their location and extent. By being placed on the schedule, SAMs are protected by law from any unauthorised distrubance. The list has been compiled and is maintained by English Heritage. It is updated periodically. back
source TBAS Transactions of the Birmingham and Warwickshire Archaeological Society is a journal produced by the society annually. It contains articles about archaeological field work that has taken place in Birmingham and Warwickshire in previous years. Copies of the journal are kept by the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. back
period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period Post Medieval About 1540 AD to 1750 AD (the 16th century AD to the 18th century AD)

The Post Medieval period comes after the medieval period and before the Imperial period.

This period covers the second half of the reign of the Tudors (1485 – 1603), the reign of the Stuarts (1603 – 1702) and the beginning of the reign of the Hannoverians (1714 – 1836).
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument TUNNEL * An underground channel with a vaulted roof. Use specific type where known. back
monument PACKHORSE BRIDGE * A high-humped, narrow, cobbled bridge used by trains of packhorses, often located in upland areas where the bulk of goods were carried by horses. back
monument PARK * An enclosed piece of land, generally large in area, used for hunting, the cultivation of trees, for grazing sheep and cattle or visual enjoyment. Use more specific type where known. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument EMBANKMENT * A long ridge of earth, rocks or gravel primarily constructed to carry a roadway. back
monument PATH * A way made for pedestrians, especially one merely made by walking (often not specially constructed). back
monument ROAD * A way between different places, used by horses, travellers on foot and vehicles. back
monument PIER * A structure of iron or wood, open below, running out into the sea and used as a promenade and landing stage. back
monument BRIDGE * A structure of wood, stone, iron, brick or concrete, etc, with one or more intervals under it to span a river or other space. Use specific type where known. back
monument ROAD BRIDGE * A bridge carrying a road over land or water. back
monument ROUND * A small, Iron Age/Romano-British enclosed settlement found in South West England. back
monument CROSS * A free-standing structure, in the form of a cross (+), symbolizing the structure on which Jesus Christ was crucified and sacred to the Christian faith. Use specific type where known. back
monument FARM * A tract of land, often including a farmhouse and ancillary buildings, used for the purpose of cultivation and the rearing of livestock, etc. Use more specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record