Attractions and Places To See around Little Birch - Top 20

Couple of other reasons to have the bridge : To allow parishioners from “English Foy” (east bank, Hole‑in‑the‑Wall) to reach the church in “Welsh Foy” (west bank) without relying on the ferry. Local accounts also note a more down‑to‑earth reason: the pub was on the English side, and a reliable crossing made life easier for both locals and ferry‑boatmen.

In Kathedraal Mappa Mundi

Fabulous and iconic Sandstone building, centrepiece of Ross on Wye.

According to Harper Bridges - This bridge was commissioned by the congregations of the churches of Sellack Boat and King’s Caple and built in 1895. The towers are of tubular cast iron, with nameplate transoms embossed “Louis Harper AIMCE, Maker, Aberdeen”. The original cables to common anchorages are still in place, as are their hangers. However, at some stage (nobody seems to know when or why) further short cables were clamped to the original, presumably to support areas of wear and avoid cable replacement. This has led to crowding at the saddles. However, the bridge is still used and the local churches continue to hold their ‘Bridge Thanksgiving’ ceremony each year. This area is noted for its flooding but so far the bridge has held since the arched deck remains above the flow, although the approaches are inundated. It lacks the original longitudinal deck boarding but the original camber is well maintained. This bridge is the best illustration of the method of attachment of hangars to main cable employed by John and Louis Harper

In the words of the National Tranport Trust - Wilton Bridge is an exceptionally fine red sandstone bridge. In 1597 an Act was passed authorising its construction. It was completed within the next 2 years. There are five semi- circular arches each with 3 ribs and massive cutwaters on each side, carried up and splayed back from the outer angle at parapet level forming semi-hexagonal refuges. At the point where the splay dies out is a moulded string which is mitred and carried up to the angle against the spandrils of the arches and then mitred and carried across to form a label above the arches. The voussoirs of the arches are chamfered and joggled and have various masons' marks. On the upstream side the bridge has been widened but now the parapet has been replaced by a wooden handrail. The South East approach to the bridge has been rebuilt in ashlar with 2 flights of stone steps to the river bank. The sundial, formerly in one of the refuges has disappeared, and only the base of the pedestal remains. All in all it is a fine bridge, and has done well to weather the floods that happen most winters - as evidenced by the erosion of even the top stones on the arches.

The Cathedral Green is open to bikes and Church Street, leading off it to the north, has several good cafes you can stop at.

Great stopping point and a hub for rides in all directions. Plenty of coffee shops

Located on Wilton Road just outside Ross-on-Wye, Wilton Bridge, constructed between 1597 and 1599, is crafted from red sandstone. It replaced a previous wooden bridge that had taken the place of the original ford in the Wye.