Building record 0164200000 - ICKFORD BRIDGE and Whirlpool Arch Bridge

Bridge consists of 3 three-centred arches on very heavy piers, built of stone & dated 1685. Walling is ashlarded, with chamfered coping & weathered buttresses. On each side of the bridge, facing up and down stream, between the 2 N arches is a cutwater. In the E niche on the S side is a stone inscribed: '1685, Here ends the county of Oxon' & on the N side: 'Here beginneth the county of Bucks, 1685' (B1).
A bridege across the Thame existed here as early as 1237, since in that year Walter de Burgh was ordered to provide the keeper of Ickford Bridge with an oak from Brill for repairs. 'Wodebrugge' and 'Widebrugge' are mentioned in the C13 (B2).
Probably older than 1685. A smaller C18 arch over the stream on the Bucks side of the river Thame (B3).
In good state of repair. Scheduled: SAM BU7 (B4).
Grade II. River bridge, partly in Buckinghamshire but south part in South Oxfordshire District, Oxfordshire. Medieval, altered and dated 1685. C18 and C19 alterations. Whirlpool Arch c1800. Coursed rubble with ashlar arches and dressings. 3 arches with causewayed southern approach. North arch depressed, central arch 4-centred. Wide cut water with parapet refuges between northern 2 arches, buttress on plinth with weathered coping between central and south arch. Chamfered parapet copings. In eastern refuge on south side is stone inscribed 'Here Begineth the County of Bucks 1685' and '1685 Here ends the County of Oxon'. At north end of causeway on Buckinghamshire side is Whirlpool Arch bridge, a segmental arch in ashlar with rubblestone parapets and chamfered ashlar copings. RCHM I. 217, MON.8. ANCIENT MONUMENT (B6).
The present bridge, which carries the road from Ickford to Tiddington, is actually two bridges within 25m of each other; Ickford Bridge and Whirlpool Arch Bridge. The westernmost Ickford Bridge over the River Thame is an ashlar stone structure of three elliptical arches, two larger ones with a span of about 3m each and a central supporting pier. The third and smaller arch in the western approach causeway acts as a flood arch. The more easterly second bridge known as Whirlpool Arch Bridge, crossing a smaller side stream with a small widening 'whirlpool', is a single stone arch forming a smaller humpbacked structure. Both have been reinforced with iron tie bars with backward 'S' retaining plates. On the main bridge the triangular cutwaters on each side of the northern pier continue upwards to the parapets and form small pedestrian recesses. In the recess on the east of the bridge are two inscribed county boundary stones. There is damage visible in the parapets of both bridges, evidence of the toll that modern wide vehicles have inflicted. Photos (B8).



(SP 6487 0647) ICKFORD BRIDGE (NR) (B9)

A 17th c bridge on the border of Buckhamshire and Oxfordshire of three arches. A datestone reads 1685. According to Leland there was a stone bridge of 2 arches over the northern branch of the river and a wooden bridge across the other one. Mentioned in 1237 (B10).

Probably older than 1685. A smaller 18th c arch over the stream on the Bucks side of the river Thame (B11).

The bridge over the River Thame has three plain arches, two round-headed and the centre one pointed. The piers have cutwaters. The centre arch may be pre-1685 in origin though the facing stone is the same throughout, including the single span over the drainage stream at SP 6488 0653. Ickford Bridge is of some character but is not outstanding.
See GP (B12).

NRHE insert 1997, Update 1998 (B13).

This record includes National Record of the Historic Environment Information provided by Historic England on 4 June 2025 licensed under the Open Government Licence.