A collection of walks, discoveries, insights and pictures of exploring Dartmoor National Park
July 20, 2024
Homers and Lukesland Bridges
On 9th July 1840, Homers and Lukesland Bridges were destroyed by floods. They are reported as having been later reconstructed at a cost of £10 7s 0d (or around £900 in todays money) – ref: Dartmoor 2001, a Dartmoor Diary of Yesteryear by Mike Brown
Homers Bridge crosses the Butter Brook just to the south west of Harford and was once also known as ‘Homeward Bridge’. Today, it is not named on OS maps but is known to some as Butter Brook Bridge.
Lukesland Bridge is no longer extant and only the supports survive, which are located on the Erme between Lukesland Wood and Pithill Wood.
Although there is no doubt both bridges suffered a watery fate in 1840, the author casts doubt as to whether Lukesland Bridge was ever rebuilt, which is covered in this post
There are two bridges spanning the Butter Brook near Harford. This annotated 1873 map suggests the road bridge was called ‘Homeward Bridge’Whilst researching this post the author came across this 1950s picture which was labelled as ‘Homers Bridge’The view of Homeward Bridge (now Butter Brook Bridge) in July 2024Combination of the 1950s picture and the 2024 picture reveals a perfect match! The author speculates that the name ‘Homers’ is simply a local colloquialism of ‘Homeward’ – such a shame these names do not survive today on the OS mapHomeward / Homers Bridge comprises of two low stone arches, supported in the middle of Butter BrookThe bridge does show traces of a possible “clapper” with foundations underneath. The Historic Environment Record suggests the bridge probably dates from late 18th century or early 19th century, which neatly confirms the timeline of the record of the flood in 1840.The bridge is located at SX63589 59273. Today, the road here is around 10 ft wide (just over 3m) and is curved. The bridge parapet on the upstream side has large uncut granite stones. The longer down-stream side parapet has smaller uncut granite stones, topped with an iron rail set in concrete postsA few hundred metres upstream from Homeward / Homers Bridge there is a small clapper bridgeButter Brook Clapper Bridge may not have been extant when its ‘big brother’ met its fate in 1840. The bridge does not appear evident on the 1873 mapButter Brook Clapper is located on a footpath at SX63830 59178Onto Lukesland Bridge. The author cannot find any map with the bridge on it. The remains of the bridge are still extant at the location shown on the annotated map. Even the tithe map of 1840 doesn’t show it. The location of the bridge appears to align with a track / path on the east side of the riverLukesland Bridge supports can be found at SX63546 58031This is how the author imagines the bridge once looked (in spite of the fact no central pier supports remain). Clearly, all remnants of the bridge have gone (possibly including a central pier?)In an article in Dartmoor News (186), based on notes written by Dave Brewer, it suggests that because the bridge did not appear on an 1886 map, it would have been built after that date. This conflicts with the Mike Brown information that a bridge here suffered from flood damage in 1840. The author suggests that the bridge which perished in 1840 wasn’t re-built, unless it suffered a second flood between 1840 and circa 1873The Historic Environment Record (HER) suggests the bridge piers are at SX63580 57990, whereas they are at SX63546 58031 (some 50 metres away). The HER location is where there is a ford, which indeed is shown on the 1873 map. The author hypothesises that the original bridge was swept away by a flood in 1840, but was never rebuilt, only to be replaced by the ford some 50 metres downstream – this seems to fit the evidence available. If anyone could offer any other timeline of events the author would welcome hearing them