Comments on: George Double, Builder of Boxted Bridge

By: Lucinda Douglas-Menzies

Lucinda Douglas-Menzies — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 19:05:37 +0000

A huge thank you to everyone for their interest and for signing the petition to save Boxted bridge. We feel sure that George Double ,with his extensive experience in bridge building as site manager for John Dixon during the construction of the massive Hammersmith Suspension Bridge to the smaller bridges he built himself in the Dedham Vale, will have been built solidly and to last, to the highest standards of those Victorian engineers. What a coincidence that your reader Pauline Taylor knows the area, has cycled over it and other bridges over the River Stour many times, and was also taught by John Nash!

By: steven stuart

steven stuart — Wed, 17 Mar 2021 18:06:20 +0000

I have signed the Petition to save the bridge. I do believe there would be more support if the bridge could be viewed easier. There is an awful lot of keep out signs around the river there. Access to the river gets harder every time I visit.

By: paul loften

paul loften — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 12:53:35 +0000

Thank you and Lucinda for bringing this to our attention. The bridges are part of the natural landscape that is why they are painted and photographed and give such pleasure to the viewer. Boxted bridge has carried people safely across since 1897 . A simple thing to say but in reality it has much greater meaning. The lives of those of us who have ever ventured upon it were in the hands of the builder. George Double and his workers did not let us down. If there was good reason to tear this bridge down and replace it then we could feel some sort of justification. However if the structure is fortified and reinforced then we owe it to the builder and to ourselves to act as the preserver of a rare sight of natural beauty .

By: Katie Howson

Katie Howson — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 12:45:05 +0000

Fascinating story, thank you, and I shall be signing that petition too!

By: Pauline Taylor

Pauline Taylor — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 11:09:36 +0000

I have signed and shared this petition, I know this bridge well as I have cycled over it and the others over the river Stour so many times and the thought of Essex County Council replacing it with a hideous modern structure just to accommodate HGVs is appalling. It is in an area of outstanding natural beauty so beloved by John Constable and the County Council must be made to preserve it.

The painting by John Nash, who taught me, is beautiful and I hope that Ronald Blythe, who inherited John Nash’s home of Bottengoms in Wormingford, is supporting this campaign? I know that he is now very elderly but this will be very close to his heart I am sure.

By: Jill Wilson

Jill Wilson — Mon, 15 Mar 2021 08:15:19 +0000

Good luck with the campaign – repairing the bridge seems to be a much more sensible solution.

I am always in awe of what the Victorian engineers achieved – especially the bridge builders.

I’d also love to know more about Cleopatra’s Needle and what the system for getting it into place was… the mind boggles!