Nature reserve's 18th Century stone bridge saved

An 18th Century bridge that marks the entrance to a nature reserve has been saved from collapse after work was carried out on the structure.

The dry-stone bridge at Cotton Dell Nature Reserve near Oakamoor, Staffordshire, was recently repaired after it was found to be at risk of falling down.

Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT), which runs the site, said this was due to some of the stones moving over time and damage caused by a landslip.

The bridge dates back to the late 1700s when it was built using a dry-stone construction technique – a method using no mortar or cement.

The trust said it was constructed during a time when the Churnet Valley was a "hotbed" of the industrial revolution after the discovery of copper-rich bedrock found in the area.

Lucy O'Toole, nature reserves manager at SWT, said: "The bridge is centuries old yet it isn't listed or protected in any way.

"As guardians of this place, it was important we didn't allow this relic to be lost. Cotton Dell is part of a historic landscape and this bridge is part of its heritage."

The work was funded by the Derbyshire Environmental Trust, supporters of the Leek Local Group for SWT and a donation from an unnamed "generous local resident".

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