The Tarr Steps
Stones and boulders, unaided by any cementing material, were the first designs of the earliest bridges. The amazing aspect was the effort and enterprise involved in gathering these huge multi-ton boulders at one place and arranging them in the shape of a bridge. The marvel of man’s ingenuity in his pursuit of taming nature is a study as fascinating and intriguing as the structures that arose out of such stupendous effort
The most spectacular example of such a bridge exists in England of today. The Tarr Steps is a clapper bridge across the River Barle in the Exmoor National Park, Somerset, England. This famous national park, about 2.5 miles (4 km) south east of the town of Withypool and 4 miles (6 km) north west of the town of Dulverton, attracts tens of thousands of visitors every year, majority of them to quench their curiosity to see this medieval bridge of antiquity.
Clapper Bridge
What is a Clapper bridge? The name “clapper bridge” comes from the Medieval Latin “claperius” which means “pile of stones”. It is an ancient form of bridge constructed with large unmortared slabs of stone resting on one another;
Tarr is the largest example of its type. The name ‘Tarr’ is thought to be derived from the Celtic word ‘tochar’, meaning ’causeway’.
The bridge is 180 feet (55 m) long and has 17 spans. It is about 39 inches(99cm) above normal water level. The 17 spans are topped by stone slabs weighing 1-2 tons each. The largest slab is over 8 feet (2.4 m) long and is about 5 feet (1.5 m) wide.
Exmoor National Park
The setting of the bridge itself is uniquely picturesque. Located at the heart of the Park covering 33 hectares, the Park’s flora comprises of mainly sessile oak (Quercus petraea) woodland, with beech (Fagus), ash, sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), hazel (Corylus), blackberry (Rubus), bluebells (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) and honeysuckle (Lonicera). It is internationally significant for the mosses, liverworts and lichens which flourish in the cool damp conditions
The bridge was badly damaged by floodwater on 22 December 2012 when steel wires upstream (designed to protect the bridge from damaging debris) were broken by fallen trees washed down the river. Floodwaters carried away part of the bridge again on 21 November 2016, and it has since been rebuilt.
According to The Exmoor National Park web site,
“The stones forming the spans weigh between one and two tons each and have on occasions been washed up to 50 yards (46 m) downstream. A distinctive feature of Tarr Steps is the slabs that are raked against the ends of each pier to break the force of the river and divert floating debris. Despite this, much of the damage has been due to debris such as branches floating down with the flood and battering the bridge. Debris used to be removed once a year by farmers from the Dulverton and Hawkridge sides of the river but since the flood of 1952 it has been trapped by cables strung across the river upstream of the bridge”.
This is one of the best known monuments of ancient human engineering. Its actual age is still uncertain. Several theories claim that Tarr Steps dates from the Bronze Age-around 1000 BC- but others disagree. In all likelihood, the bridge was constructed, perhaps, over a period of time. Officially, it is placed as a medieval monument.
Legend
A local legend, ascribes its existence to the desire of the Devil to cast for himself a platform so he could sunbathe on the stones.
The Tarr Steps are said to have been built by the Devil so he had a place to sunbathe. According to legend, he would lie on the broad, flat stones to enjoy the sun, and to protect his ‘sun-bed’ he swore a fearful oath to crush the first person who used the stones to cross from one bank to the other. The local villagers did not dare cross themselves so they sent a cat across the bridge, and the cat promptly vanished (less politically-correct versions say it was torn to pieces).
The local parson stepped in and confronted the Devil in the middle of the bridge. The Devil swore and shouted but the parson stood firm and forced him to withdraw his threat. The Devil added one stipulation, however; no one could cross while he was sunbathing there. So, if you chance to come upon the Devil lying on the clapper stones, don’t attempt the crossing!
Notwithstanding, the beauty and elegance of this ancient structure is encapsulated in its simplicity. While continuing to be in use, even after over 3000 years, it essentially celebrates the victory of human creativity and its quest to befriend rather conquer nature.
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