Water Mills have existed on this site since before 1221, grinding flour, crushing rape seed and ‘Fulling’ cloth. The Mill buildings burned down in 1945 whilst being used as a firelighter factory. Nearby there was a brewery and a sawmill. The original 1235 river bridge still remains between the 1773 upstream widening and the 1826 downstream widening The Fish Ladder opposite was built in 1871 at the cost of £30
The old medieval Wetherby Bridge had four arches and these were eventually extended to six. Not only was the bridge damaged by severe floods but thousands of Scottish cattle going south and coal carts going north in the late 1700’s added to the destruction. It is hard to believe that until the first by-pass of 1959 was built this bridge was part of the A1 carrying all the traffic on the Great North Road.
Click on any of the plaques below to see more detail.
