Clapper bridges from Dartmoor

Dartmoor's clapper bridges are a primitive type of bridge. In Dartmoor in Devon , England , there is no shortage of rivers and streams to be crossed. Clapper bridges are a construction that is designed to lead a roadway with one or more large, flat stone slabs over a watercourse. The slabs rest on the bank or on pillars. They are recognized as monuments of simple form. There are basically three ways to cross the watercourses in Dartmoor:

• across a ford,
• over stepping stones (called steps in Dartmoor )
• three types of bridges; Conventional bridge, wooden bridges (known as clams ) and clapper bridges.

Many clapper bridges have been preserved and are still in use. Destroyed bridges are recognized by pillars protruding from the river bed, sometimes with slabs still in place. There are clapper bridges with a single plate and those with multiple plates and lengths up to 13.0 meters. In some cases two or more slabs lie next to each other and form a wider route, which allows wider vehicles to cross.

• Clapper bridges from Dartmoor
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Web links

• Description Engl.