OK, there has been a slight turn around. This one is a wet plate negative just like all the other one's identified of being around Coventry. So I can only presume that this scene is as well.
This afternoon I was sad enough to be completely enthralled looking for bridges like this around Coventry. First I stumbled across the fact that it must be a pack horse bridge.
Well, everything I can find about the Pedlars Bridge says that it's located here, where the Smite Brook crosses a bridleway in amongst the clump of trees.
Unfortunately, there's no evidence of the buildings shown in your photo, including a substantial industrial building (the chimney). I'd expect some trace in the aerial view, even if they'd all been demolished.
Here's another, high-res image on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tothehillsatymail/3707563575/in/photostream/
The buttresses evident in your mystery bridge are very different or absent in the modern bridge. The stones don't match up in any way and the light/shadow suggests that your pic was taken from roughly south, which is the same direction as the pictures of Pedlars Bridge are taken, which largely discounts the possibility that your photo is of the other side.
Sorry, I don't think that's it.
I had that one pegged a few days ago but dismissed it. Looking again ... it could be, hmmm.Fairly certain the bridge is Spon Bridge, Coventry - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/2916846110/in/set-72157607158409840/
Fairly certain the bridge is Spon Bridge, Coventry - see http://www.flickr.com/photos/pikerslanefarm/2916846110/in/set-72157607158409840/
Look carefully at mick's pic though. The left arch is slightly lower than the right, and buried under the grass on the very right could be another arch.Hello Midland Red.
I know it's hard to tell as bridges and greenery near to them could become overgrown, but I'm sure that Nick's picture is a two arched bridge. Also, the arches on your bridge are different heights.
Look carefully at mick's pic though. The left arch is slightly lower than the right, and buried under the grass on the very right could be another arch.
Look carefully at mick's pic though. The left arch is slightly lower than the right, and buried under the grass on the very right could be another arch.
Given the difference in depth, I was considering that it might be possible the bridge was widened and re-faced with new bricks at some point.Yeah, but look at the courses of brickwork immediately above the arch, there's only 3
Given the difference in depth, I was considering that it might be possible the bridge was widened and re-faced with new bricks at some point.
However, I think that the Old Spon bridge is somewhat older than the glass negative so that work done to it would probably look a bit more modern than it currently does.
Looks like a slight height and width difference to me but I suppose it could be foreshortening or an optical illusion caused by the wonky brickwork.but both arches visible in mick's photo are of the same height and width.
Yes I know. It wouldn't have been IF it were expanded and re-faced.Looks like a slight height and width difference to me but I suppose it could be foreshortening or an optical illusion caused by the wonky brickwork.
British Listed Buildings said:Spon Bridge, Coventry
Description: Spon Bridge
Location: Upper Spon Street, Coventry CV1 3BA
Grade: II
Date Listed: 5 February 1955
C13, rebuilt 1771. Some stone from Spon Gate. Sandstone, 5 bays, pairs of plain
columns either end.
All the listed buildings in Spon Street form a group.
Sorry Minnie I should of been paying more attention.
OK back to it...
Annoyingly it would now appear not to be the same one..
A few things come into the equation. First by it would appear to be a packhorse bridge. These are hundreds of years old..so there can't be that many around the Coventry area with two arches in a similar setting. They should also be well documented or at least mentioned somewhere.
All the negatives so far of this age and type have been around Coventry, so I can only presume this is as well. This sort of narrows down the odds some what.
All the other photographs as of yet have some kind of significance..not just a nice scenic view. So photographing an ancient quirky bridge would fit in wth the rest of the pictures.
I know for a fact through local bridges from my part of the world that a few have been knocked down and rebuilt in the last hundred years and they are different in shape. For various reasons.
The width of the bridge does look very similar on both. The width of the stream and environment also look basically the same.
The real clue has to be the buildings in the background though..and as Cybertect as said. It doesn't look like the one..
All I can really say then, is should around the Coventry area. It shouldn't be somewhere in Derbyshire or anything like that.
I've also come to the conclusion looking at the high res, that were on the 2005 photo e.t.c...that is just basically a path. The early one looks more like a road than a path, which would make sense if it's by a house.
The others, like I say seem to have some sort of significance..ie historical one or whatever. Maybe this bridge is long gone, but there was some reason for taking it. Some quirky historical happening or something.
Oh right, the double arched bridge.