Listed Building record TQ 74 NE 25 - Hertsfield bridges, Boughton Monchelsea and Staplehurst

TQ782467 Herstfield Bridges (NAT). (1) Herstfield Bridges, Chart Hill Road. Grade II*. Partly in Staplehurst civil parish. Bridge over several streams of river Beult. Probably c14 or c15, with later alterations. (2) Additional bibliography. (3)

Description from record TQ 74 NE 56:
The following text is from the original listed building designation:
BOUGHTON MONCHELSEA CHART HILL ROAD TQ 74 NE 2/8 Herstfield Bridges 25.7.52 II*
Partly in Staplehurst civil parish. Bridge over several streams of river Beult. Probably C14 or C15, with later alterations. Ragstone. Low parapet rebuilt in buff brick with engineering brick coping. 6 low arches; 2 pairs towards centre and single arch towards each end. Triangular heads to arches, with chamfered jambs and heads to east and chamfered heads to west. Ashlared soffits. No cutwaters. Road about 10 feet wide. Bridge approximately 300 feet long. Coping surmounted by wooden posts with iron rails. Broad refuge between two central pairs of arches. Listing NGR: TQ7812543568 (4)

Historic building recording and a watching brief were carried out at the site of Hertsfield Bridge in 2013 during the stabilisation and refurbishment of the southern bridge. The results of this work suggested that the bridge was probably constructed during the 14th or 15th century with several later phases of repair and strengthening during the post-medieval and modern periods. A brick parapet and rails were added to both sides of the bridge during the 19th-20th centuries, and an I-beam was incorporated into the southern arch for strengthening purpose as a result of structural failure during the mid-20th century. (5)

<1> OS 1:10000 1971 (OS Card Reference). SKE48156.

<2> DOE(HHR)Boro of Maidstone Kent 25th March 1987 5 (OS Card Reference). SKE41235.

<3> Bldgs of Eng W Kent and the Weald 1980 177 (J Newman) (OS Card Reference). SKE37970.

<4> English Heritage, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest (Map). SKE16160.

<5> Archaeology South-East, 2013, HERTSFIELD BRIDGE, STAPLEHURST, KENT HISTORIC BUILDING RECORDING & WATCHING BRIEF (Unpublished document). SKE58280.