Somerset Rivers
River Brue Structures 

Hornblotton Mill Footbridge

admin
 
       
Bridge Name:   Hornblotton Mill Footbridge
No.:   20
Location:    
Build Date:   circa 1950
Engineer:    
     
       
 

  © Copyright somersetrivers.org
Description:    
Prefabricated metal footbridge set in concrete abutments. This is on the route from Alford Village to Hornblotton Mill.1. May have been a packhorse bridge here at one time.2

Hornblotton Mill was originally part of Hornblotton (being the mill for West Bradley), it was later absorbed into the Alford Estate, and repurposed to house estate workers: the gamekeeper lived there in the 1880’s onwards (hence it became known as Keeper’s Cottage) and it was further extended before WW1 to provide additional accommodation for the Alford Estate. Map regression shows it is the same building (which has now reverted to its original name). The old mill machinery (including water wheel) remain in situ (together with substantial stoneworks). In medieval times, the Brue flooded annually up to 7m at this point, so when it was originally built, the living accommodation was set on higher ground 30m away to prevent the property flooding. 3
     
References:   1. Victoria County History – Somerset – Alford
2. Somerset HER id= 53479

3. Charles Horn (Hornblotton Mill)