William Stukeley’s drawing of Trinity Bridge in 1721 – he appears to show water beneath it , although by that date the watercourses had been diverted
Parish/DistrictCrowland/South Holland
LocationAt the junction of South Street and East Street in the centre of Crowland
CategoryLost Cross
National Grid RefTF 23941 10241
DesignationThe bridge is scheduled and listed I
Stone typeLimestone (Barnack stone)
RefsD S Davies in Lincs Notes and Queries. Vol XIII No.5 January 1915 pp139-143; See Lincs HER
Visits

Trinity Bridge is a unique triangular stone bridge built in 1360-1390 by the monks of Crowland Abbey to replace earlier wooden structures, possibly dating back to the tenth century. It spanned the confluence of the river Welland and a tributary but these watercourses were diverted in the mid-seventeenth century and now no water flows beneath the bridge. It is formed of three pointed half-arches in the form of a triangle and on the south arm is a seated figure in stone said to be Christ in Majesty (placed there in 1720, probably a figure taken from Crowland Abbey) – there is also a stone mounting block associated with the structure nearby.
It is said that the bridge was originally crowned with a tall canopied cross. No evidence for this cross survives and as the carriageways are only c.2.5m wide, it is hard to imagine how this arrangement functioned. Several sources and directories mention the cross but it is hard to find a definitive reference for its existence.

The present bridge is approached by steep stone steps (see photos) but it is thought that these are relatively modern and that there were originally cobbled ramps allowing easier access for pack animals.

Postcard view of Trinity Bridge Crowland – early 20th C
The carriageways on Trinity Bridge are only about 8 feet wide so it is hard to imaging how a standing cross fitted at the apex of the structure unless it was constructed as integral with the masonry of the parapets
Trinity Bridge, Crowland as it appears today (photo: Billy Wilson)
Crowland – Triangular Bridge

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