London's Oldest Crossing: The Clattern Bridge
The Clattern Bridge holds the distinction of being the oldest surviving bridge in London.
It was scheduled as an ancient monument on 16 February 1938 and its structure is now Grade 1 listed, making it of ‘signifiant importance.’
Dating back to the medieval era, its origins trace back to 1175, making it a living artefact of the city's rich heritage.
It replaced an older Saxon bridge which was known as the Clatrung Bridge.
Constructed from local stone, this three-arched bridge was an essential passage over the Hogsmill River.
It provided a vital link between the historic market town of Kingston and the surrounding areas, facilitating trade and connecting communities.
The bridge's architectural design, with its sturdy arches and solid masonry, showcases the craftsmanship of its time.
Over the centuries, the Clattern Bridge has undergone various modifications and repairs while retaining its medieval essence.
The quaint, narrow passageway, once bustling with carts and pedestrians, still stands today as a picturesque relic amidst modern surroundings.
Thankfully, it survived the tumultuous periods of wars, including the English Civil War, when many other structures fell victim to conflict.
In 1852, the bridge was widened with the addition of more brick-built structure.
An ornamental railing was added at this time.
This structure is considered quite sound and continues to bear a full load of traffic to this day (2024).
Up to the 18th century, according to Wikipedia, the bridge was used as a site for the ducking of scolds with a cucking stool.
In the commons law of crime in England, a common scold was a type of public nuisance - a troublesome and angry person who broke the public peace.
Most punished for scolding were women, though men could be found to be scolds.
The offence was punished by fines and public humiliation: dunking (being arm-fastened into a chair and dunked into a river or pond).
According to Wikipedia, the stools were technical devices which formed part of the wider method of law enforcement through social humiliation.
A common alternative was a court order to recite one’s crimes or sins after Mass or in the market place on market day or informal action such as a Skimmington ride.
They were usually of local manufacture with no standard design.
Most were simply chairs into which the offender could be tied and exposed at her door or the site of her offence. Some were on wheels like a tumbrel that could be dragged around the parish.
Some were put on poles so that they could be plunged into water, hence "ducking" stool.
Stocks or pillories were similarly used for the punishment of men or women by humiliation.
The bridge also featured in the traditional game of football held in the centre of Kingston each year on Shrove Tuesday.
It was the goal for one of the teams, while the nearby Kingston Bridge was the other goal.
The iconic bridge has more than 50 reviews on TripAdvisor, one recent visitor said: “Beautiful setting for my daughter's graduation photos.
”Next to Rose Theatre were the ceremony was held & next to restaurants along the river.”
Another person added: “If you are walking by the river, it’s worth walking down this alley way to Clattern Bridge.
”It will take you to the Coronation Stone where seven Kings were crowned and you can also get to Kingston Market which in days gone by held burnings and hangings, but today is a vibrant market place.
”Besides all the obvious swans and ducks etc. look closely into this small river that flows under the bridge, it often has lots of trout in it. Worth a walk.”
If you enjoyed this blog post, please follow Exploring GB on Facebook for daily travel content and inspiration.
Don’t forget to check out our latest blog posts below!
Thank you for visiting Exploring GB.
