Tarr Steps
The Tarr Steps are in Exmoor National Park , in the wooded Barle River Valley , about 5 miles northwest of Dulverton .
history
The age of the bridge is disputed. Some ascribe it a prehistoric origin, apparently supported by the Bronze Age paths that cross here, as well as the name, which is derived from the Celtic Lochar for dam. However, there is no evidence of an earlier construction period, and the first records of the Tarr Steps are from the Tudor period . It is largely agreed that the bridge structure dates from the Middle Ages .
Legend
Legend has it that the bridge was built by the devil as a place to sunbathe , and he wanted to destroy any creature that tried to cross it. When a pastor met him, he gave him a flood of blasphemous curses. The pastor had the right answer to everything, however, and the devil was so impressed that he allowed free use of the bridge.
construction
In terms of construction type, the Tarr Steps are a stone slab bridge . The bridge is approx. 55 m long and consists of 17 sandstone slabs, which lie loosely on pillars about 1 m above the water. Due to the recent rise in water levels, plates were washed away several times during floods ; in the meantime they have been numbered and saved after restoration.
See also
literature
- Robert Andrews: The Rough Guide to Devon & Cornwall. 3. Edition. Rough Guides, London 2007, ISBN 978-1-84353-807-3 , p. 192.
Web links
Coordinates: 51 ° 4 ′ 38 " N , 3 ° 37 ′ 4" W