List of crossings of the River Ure
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This is a list of current bridges and other crossings of the River Ure in North Yorkshire, which are listed from its source downstream to the river's mouth. The River Ure is listed on mapping as starting at Ure Head on High Abbotside (SD805968).[1] The named River Ure ends where Ouse Gill meets the Ure near Great Ouseburn and it becomes the River Ouse (see List of crossings of the River Ouse, Yorkshire).[2]
As with other river locations in Northern England, especially in the old North Riding of Yorkshire, many bridges were built at the locations of fords across the river. Examples of this are Scabba Wath Bridge and Harper Wath which is just outside Aysgarth. Harper Wath marked the limit of the property of Easby Abbey (later Marrick Priory), and later had a footbridge installed immediately downstream (Turn Hole Footbridge).[3][4] Wath comes from the Old Norse vað meaning ford.[5] The old railway crossings on the formation of railways over the river have been demolished; one was a girder bridge between Aysgarth and Hawes stretching for 200 feet (61 m) across the river.[6] Another, far further downstream in Ripon was the Ure Viaduct. This was demolished in the 1970s and the position it occupied is now largely taken up by the Duchess of Kent road bridge which takes the bypass around Ripon.[7][8] A third demolished railway viaduct was in Boroughbridge which consisted of two iron girder spans, each measuring 125 feet (38 m) in length. The viaduct was last used in October 1964, and was demolished sometime afterwards.[9] Many of the old fords are now not used, or have some stepping stones in place.[10]
The old name for the river was the Yore which gave way to the Ure; Yoredale describing the valley on Wensleydale was the common name for the valley until the start of the 18th century.[11][12] There are bridges over the river at Bainbridge and Aysgarth that are both called Yore Bridge and are both grade II listed. The one at Bainbridge was built in 1796 and the one at Aysgarth was built in the 16th century and widened in 1788.[13][14]
The canalised sections of the River Ure downstream of Ripon, most notably the Milby Cut, and the Westwick Cut, are not included for any structures over the formation.