22 August 2024
The North York Moors National Park Authority have been working with North Yorkshire Council to reopen Grosmont Bridge following a road traffic accident on 3 August.
The bridge is an 18th Century grade II listed structure maintained by North Yorkshire Council. Due to its special status, careful restoration and re-building work needs to be undertaken after the accident demolished the stone parapet wall.
With the winter months approaching and a 16-mile diversion proposed, negotiations have taken place between the National Park Authority’s Planning Department and North Yorkshire Council’s Highways and Transportation Department for a semi-permanent breeze block parapet wall to be built. This will allow the bridge to reopen much quicker (the estimated time being in the next two months) with proper stone restoration work done spring 2025.
Annabel Longfield-Reeve, Senior Heritage and Conservation Officer at the North York Moors National Park Authority, said:
“This three-arch sandstone bridge spans the River Esk and dates from around 1700. It’s an important historic feature of Grosmont and indeed the wider National Park, but principally it serves as an essential transport link for local communities of the Esk Valley.
“For this reason, the priority is to ensure the bridge is once again made safe for vehicles and pedestrians, with proper restoration by skilled stonemasons taking place at a later point.”
ENDS
Media contacts
Nina Beadle
Communications Office
North York Moors National Park Authority press@northyorkmoors.org.uk or 01439 772700
The North York Moors National Park
The North York Moors is a beautiful landscape of stunning moorland, ancient woodland and historic sites. Created on 28 November 1952, it became Britain’s sixth national park. Covering an area of 554 square miles (1,436 square kilometres) the National Park has 26 miles of coastline, two national nature reserves, 840 Scheduled Monuments and over 3,000 listed buildings, attracting an estimated 8.4 million visitors a year.
The National Park has two visitor centres, Danby Lodge National Park Centre and Sutton Bank National Park Centre, providing opportunities for cycling, walking, eating, picnicking, shopping, crafts and wildlife-watching. The centre in Danby also houses the Inspired by… gallery, which features regularly changing exhibitions by artists who draw their inspiration from the North York Moors.
The North York Moors National Park Authority works with a wide variety of people to care for this beautiful corner of Yorkshire, providing apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities with nearly 14% of staff being apprentices from local families.
To view other press releases and for further information about the North York Moors National Park, visit www.northyorkmoors.org.uk