Tadcaster, The Bridge 1906

Photo ref: 54851

More about this scene

White stone from Tadcaster was used to renovate York Minster; this stone was the reason for the Roman name for this town, Calcaria - meaning 'the white town'. This bridge carried much coaching trade, as it was on the main London to York road. Military action around here included the bloody Battle of Towton in 1461 during the War of the Roses, which resulted in a loss of 28,000 men in one ten-hour battle. The river ran red with blood. The centre of the bridge marks the boundary of the West Riding and the Ainstey of York - a grant of land by King John to the city that contained some twenty villages. Royal visitors were met on the bridge to be escorted to York between 1212 to 1836.