Site of C17 bridge. The C17 Kelham Road, crossing the Island from Newark to Kelham Bridge, took advantage of a slight gravel ridge…the course has remained unaltered except that the junction with the Great North Road near Newark is now some 120 yds further NE, and the bridge at Kelham is about 300 yds further north. The position of the old Kelham Bridge and the road continuing NW from it are suggested by Clampe and confirmed by traces still apparent In the grounds of the House of the Sacred Mission at Kelham... (1)
The C17th bridge was destroyed in the Civil War and replaced, during the last siege of Newark, by a bridge of boats. This early structure was somewhat upstream of the present site, the road passing between Kelham Church and the Hall, some traces of the old bridge being found about 1762. (2)
No traces of this bridge or its approaches are to be seen in either bank of the Trent. (3)
The site of the bridge was probably moved around 1720s-30s, when the Duchess of Rutland owned Kelham. (4)
See M9226 for later bridge.

<1> RCHM, 1964, Newark on Trent - The Civil War Siegeworks, map p 102 (Published document). SNT1176.

<2> Notts Historian eds, 1976, Notts Historian, pp 3-4 (Serial). SNT1756.

<3> Seaman BH, 1974, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1252.

<4> Baddeley V, 2004, Pers Comm (Personal comment). SNT1761.

<5> Jervoise E, 1932, Ancient Bridges of Mid & Eastern England, pp 14-15 (Published document). SNT835.

<6> Peverel Archaeology Group, 1954, Ann Rept 6, p 25 (Published document). SNT1124.