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High Bridge
High Bridge, where the High Street crosses the River Witham, is the oldest bridge in the UK which still has buildings on it. The bridge itself was built in the 12th century, and its oldest building dates from the 14th century.
The buildings are half-timbered houses whose upper storeys jut out over the river (just like London Bridge, the best known example, once had), and are now home to Stokes High Bridge Café.
High Bridge – nicknamed the Glory Hole by generations of boaters – has a narrow and crooked arch which limits the size of boats using that part of the river. The bridge is rendered almost unnavigable after heavy rain, and since the 14th Century has contributed to floods in Lincoln. It is because of this inherent obstruction to river flow and shipping that most such bridges, which were common in the Middle Ages, have long since been demolished.
