Dick Nunn and his Famous Bridge
Dick Nunn
Henry Nunn, known to all as ‘Dick’ was an eccentric Coggeshall blacksmith born in a cottage on the Colchester Road in what was called ‘Rotten Row’. His two brothers died as children, his mother of smallpox when he was three and on Boxing Day 1854 his father finally succumbed to TB. Dick found himself at 18, half way through his apprenticeship as a blacksmith, as sole provider for his family – his sister, stepmother, and two half brothers. By then they had moved to Swan Yard off East Street, the cottage on one side and his forge on the other. Somehow he kept things together and his family survived.
Dick grew to be a man of very strong opinion who delighted in argument and was a born campaigner, a champion of the labouring class and anyone oppressed by the inequities of the world. More than just a talker, he was a practical man driven to act on his opinions whatever the opposition and as a showman he loved playing up to an audience and revelled in his growing notoriety.
In 1879 finding a man manacled and leg-ironed by the police for what he thought a trivial offence, Dick collected his tools and struck them off saying it was the worst case of ‘policemanism’ he had known. He was outraged that people should have to live in ruinous cottages and more than once pulled down a decrepit house as it became unoccupied – including one near the church gate owned by the Lord of the Manor which he completely demolished as people gathered to watch, despite the dire warnings of a solicitor sent by the owner. He was demolishing another cottage on Grange Hill one hot day when he was himself subject to ‘policemanism’. Challenged by the constabulary, he declined to come down from the roof and entertained the crowd swearing that he wouldn’t get down for £50 a figure he later increased to £100! Eventually (to much booing) he was grasped by the leg, and slid down the roof to be neatly caught by another policeman and escorted to the trap which was to transport him to Witham court. As he mounted the steps of the trap he graciously acknowledged the cheers of the now sizable crowd and there were calls for ‘Speech Speech!’ Word had got to Kelvedon where it seems everyone came out onto the street to wave Dick on his way and shout words of encouragement as he passed. At Witham he refused bail and ended up in Chelmsford gaol; a visit he later said that he much enjoyed and praised the prison food. He was in court again when he and a gang of men he had hired, began to dig up the roadway at the top off Grange Hill to make the climb easier for heavily laden horses. He then took his own solicitor to court for breach of promise. But all that is another story
Our tale involves one of Dick’s other preoccupations - to maintain the rights of way along the old footpaths. One of his first campaigns was to reopen a blocked path from Dole Field to Beards Terrace and this also ended up with Dick appearing in court for criminal damage; the case was dismissed and the right of way established - but to the main story.
Nunn's Bridge
Nunn's Bridge as it was in 1892 - you will have to imagine its glorious pink colour
It was another footpath that is at the heart of the story of the bridge. This path took a course from the Braintree Road, through a meadow called Crops and after following the course of the river for a distance, crossed it by a wooden footbridge and continued on through the meadows on the other side to Curd Hall Lane. In 1875 the footbridge fell into decay, became unusable and was eventually swept away.
Seventeen years later the parish authorities had still done nothing to replace the bridge and reinstate the path - despite Dicks best efforts to rouse them into action. Then one day Dick happened to read a newspaper report about a similar case in Tillingham where the locals had fought for a footbridge. Fired up by the article, Dick determined to take the matter into his own hands ‘I’ll throw a bridge over the river!’ When he showed the report to the local surgeon, Dr Simpson, he encouraged Dick to go ahead and offered a sovereign ‘to start you off’. When the landowner heard of the scheme their solicitor the wonderfully-named Mr W Blood sent off a threatening letter, forbidding the erection of a bridge on his clients land – a letter which of course only served to increase Dick’s resolve to see the job done – like a carthorse, the heavier the load, the more he dug in and the harder he pulled!
Despite being called an old fool, Dick set to work with determination and in the course of time an iron bridge emerged from his workshop. Strong but lightly built, it had a 30-foot span and a rise to the centre of 3 feet. It was painted using what could be found around the forge - iron oxide primer and lead white – the result – pink paint. On Monday 29th August 1892 the pink bridge was rested on two trolleys and with some help wheeled down to the river and put into position on concrete abutments ready for a grand opening.
On Wednesday 31st August at three-thirty in the afternoon (it was early closing) several hundred people of all classes assembled on Market Hill. With the town band in the lead a long procession wound its way towards the new bridge. Among the tunes played, ‘Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay’ was by far the favourite with ‘every youngster rendering his own version of the tune’. At a number of private houses the cacophony grew as eager instrumentalists made their own attempts to master the tune as the procession passed by.
As they reached a chained-up five-barred gate on the Braintree road, members of the fair sex demonstrated ‘surprising agility’ in negotiating it and as the crowd approached their destination, the rain, which had failed to dampen anyone’s spirits, ceased to fall and glorious sunshine bathed the scene. An aged man, one Henry Pudney cast away his stick, ran onto the bridge and in a display of ungovernable joie de vivre, danced ‘a surprisingly energetic gig’ in the middle whilst at the same time ‘singing an impromptu ditty’. After the applause died down Dick shook the man’s hand and mounted the bridge to address the crowd.
‘It was the first time in his life that he had ever had the pleasure of so many people listen to him …. but it won’t be the last! [Cheers] Was he an old fool or was it those who were standing there before him? [Laughter] He had made the bridge and it would bear them as thick as bees. [Resounding cheers] It was for others to say whether he deserved credit or not [Cheers, well done Dick!] but he wanted more than just credit - he wanted everyone to subscribe to the cost!’ [Prolonged applause and cheering!!]. The local Solicitor, George Beaumont who was also held in great affection in the town, gave a short address when he said that from henceforth the bridge should be known as 'Nunn's Bridge' and then officially declared it open and invited everyone to cross. A box was held to collect subscriptions and an astonishing 703 people were counted over. Almost £5 was collected which included one half sovereign, three half-crowns, one florin, 15 shillings, 57 sixpences, 16 threepenny pieces, 315 pennies and 55 half-pennies.
Re-assembled on the other side and with the band once more at their head, the procession continued via Curd Hall Lane, Grange Hill and East Street up Swan Yard past the forge and on to Market Hill when the band played a final selection and the crowd dispersed amid much cheering.
The bridge had cost Dick a little over £30 to build (equivalent to £3,900 in 2020). The tolls on the opening day and the amount already subscribed, totaled £13 so our hero was left considerably out of pocket.
In 1992 we celebrated the centenary of the bridge with another procession, with many people in Victorian dress and Dick Nunn’s great grandson a special guest. We all followed the same route from Market Hill via West Street and Crops and so to the bridge where our local worthy, Tony Newton MP, addressed the assembled crowd on the subject of Dick Nunn and his now famous bridge. As he stood chatting on the bank of the river, a dog of mixed parentage raised his back leg and liberally peed on Tony's trousers. Clearly the spirit of Dick Nunn was with us that day and may it always be so. It says something for Dick’s design that 100 years on the bridge, packed with people, did not collapse into the river.
Centenary Celebrations 1992
February 2020
'...no longer fit for purpose'. Essex Highways January 2020
Now we are at another milestone with the bridge closed, and Essex Highways, who are nominally the bridge's owners, deeming it irreparable and planning to replace it. But this is not just another footbridge – this is our bridge and it's special.
We need to be assured that every effort is made to investigate ways to repair and restore the bridge before we consider replacement. The design is sound - that is obvious from the loading placed on it during the centenary celebrations.
An application was been made to Historic England for listed status for the bridge and we expect to hear the result of that in late September 2020. Lets hope we are successful.
As of September 2020 Essex Highways are still determined to replace the bridge and when asked what would then happen to the old bridge our local County Councillor, Robert Mitchell, said 'they may demolish it'.
Highways have put no value on the bridge as an historic monument, they regard the replacement as a simple economic calculation. Even though a replacement bridge would not be cheaper than a full restoration of the old one they estimate that a new bridge would need less maintenance than the old one and that apparently is good enough for them.
This bridge is a vital part of our town’s heritage and spirit and as important as any of our old buildings - and we don’t demolish them just because they show their age – we celebrate them all the more for it. We must do everything we can to ensure that Dick Nunn’s Bridge is still there for the next centenary and a fitting memorial for a very remarkable Coggeshall man.
With his truculent attitude to authority and his unstinting efforts to improve the lot of his fellow citizens he offers a wonderful example to us all in these difficult times when Coggeshall seems under threat from all sides, let Dick Nunn be our inspiration!
September 2020
Nunn's Bridge is listed Grade II
Historic England's listing report on our bridge
Nunn’s pedestrian bridge is daring and elegant in its design, a lightweight but strong structure gently spanning the River Blackwater, with attractive slender handrails and curved uprights. It is unique in its design, craftsmanship and installation by a skilled local blacksmith, and an important surviving example of a rare form of late-C19 wrought-iron pedestrian bridge. When a bridge has been manufactured by a foundry, we will usually know the identity of the maker by their mark, however it is less common for us to know the identity of a lone local blacksmith; a suspension bridge at Hebden in Yorkshire is known to have been manufactured by local blacksmith William Bell in 1885 (not listed). Nunn’s Bridge compares favourably with listed footbridges erected in the late C19 to span rivers , including foot bridges over the River Wey in Surrey, River Colne in Buckinghamshire, and at Impney Park in Worcestershire (each listed at Grade II).
In addition to clearly possessing special architectural interest, Nunn’s Bridge also possesses special historic interest as an intentional and meaningful act of social activism. Its blacksmith Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn was ahead of his times as a social campaigner for the welfare of people and animals, and actively campaigned to keep public footpaths open in Coggeshall, rebuilding this bridge at his own expense for the benefit of his community. It is important to recognise that Nunn’s activism predated the establishment of the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (now the National Trust) in 1895, which campaigned for the preservation of the countryside and footpaths to ensure everyone had right of access to the land. Nunn’s actions also long-predate the establishment of the Historic England Ramblers’ Association (now the Ramblers) in 1935, which was founded to promote walking and access to the countryside, and to safeguard paths, following a controversial mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the Peak District in 1932. Such local acts of social activism as those by blacksmith Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, and establishment of national groups played crucial roles in the passing of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act in 1949, and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act in 2000. Nunn’s Bridge clearly possesses special architectural and historic interest, and therefore the bridge is recommended for listing at Grade II.
In recommending the extent of designation, we have considered whether powers of exclusion under s1(5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate, and consider that they are not.
CONCLUSION
After examining the available records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are fulfilled. Nunn’s Bridge, a footbridge erected in 1892, designed and crafted by local blacksmith and social activist Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, is therefore recommended for listing at Grade II.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
Nunn’s Bridge, a footbridge erected in 1892, designed and crafted by local blacksmith and social activist Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but elegant structure, lightweight in its design but strong in its construction;
* for its unique design, craftsmanship and installation by a skilled local blacksmith;
* as an important surviving example of a rare form of late-C19 wrought-iron pedestrian bridge.
Historic Interest:
* as an intentional act of social activism by the blacksmith, who tirelessly campaigned to keep public footpaths open in Coggeshall, and manufactured this bridge at his own expense for the benefit of his community;
* for the meaningful act of maintaining a public path and access to the country side, which predates the establishment of the National Trust in 1895, and Ramblers’ Association in 1935.
November 2021
Nunn's Bridge Restored and Re-opened!
After a successful community campaign the efforts of Essex Highways to replace the bridge have been stopped and the bridge restored and is once more part of a very popular right of way.
I have written an account of the way the community came together in the campaign to restore the bridge, to read it, click here; Campaign
Pictured in November 2021, showing the bridge in pink after restoration.
With special thanks Ed Morton of the Morton Partnership, Barry Hillman-Crouch (Design and Recording Services), Alex Stephenson, Ian Hagger and Julian Prideaux also to Cllr Tom Walsh, Anna Appleton Claydon, Michael Bowes, James Astley, Stephanie Smalley, Dudley Maughan, Peter Miller and Trevor and Rowena Plumb for their work and encouragement in achieving this splendid result. Last but not least great credit is due to the Coggeshall community for their efforts, lobbying, encouragement, and determination to see the bridge saved.
________________________________________________________________________________
Trevor Disley Updated November 2021
Dick grew to be a man of very strong opinion who delighted in argument and was a born campaigner, a champion of the labouring class and anyone oppressed by the inequities of the world. More than just a talker, he was a practical man driven to act on his opinions whatever the opposition and as a showman he loved playing up to an audience and revelled in his growing notoriety.
In 1879 finding a man manacled and leg-ironed by the police for what he thought a trivial offence, Dick collected his tools and struck them off saying it was the worst case of ‘policemanism’ he had known. He was outraged that people should have to live in ruinous cottages and more than once pulled down a decrepit house as it became unoccupied – including one near the church gate owned by the Lord of the Manor which he completely demolished as people gathered to watch, despite the dire warnings of a solicitor sent by the owner. He was demolishing another cottage on Grange Hill one hot day when he was himself subject to ‘policemanism’. Challenged by the constabulary, he declined to come down from the roof and entertained the crowd swearing that he wouldn’t get down for £50 a figure he later increased to £100! Eventually (to much booing) he was grasped by the leg, and slid down the roof to be neatly caught by another policeman and escorted to the trap which was to transport him to Witham court. As he mounted the steps of the trap he graciously acknowledged the cheers of the now sizable crowd and there were calls for ‘Speech Speech!’ Word had got to Kelvedon where it seems everyone came out onto the street to wave Dick on his way and shout words of encouragement as he passed. At Witham he refused bail and ended up in Chelmsford gaol; a visit he later said that he much enjoyed and praised the prison food. He was in court again when he and a gang of men he had hired, began to dig up the roadway at the top off Grange Hill to make the climb easier for heavily laden horses. He then took his own solicitor to court for breach of promise. But all that is another story
Our tale involves one of Dick’s other preoccupations - to maintain the rights of way along the old footpaths. One of his first campaigns was to reopen a blocked path from Dole Field to Beards Terrace and this also ended up with Dick appearing in court for criminal damage; the case was dismissed and the right of way established - but to the main story.
Nunn's Bridge
It was another footpath that is at the heart of the story of the bridge. This path took a course from the Braintree Road, through a meadow called Crops and after following the course of the river for a distance, crossed it by a wooden footbridge and continued on through the meadows on the other side to Curd Hall Lane. In 1875 the footbridge fell into decay, became unusable and was eventually swept away.
Seventeen years later the parish authorities had still done nothing to replace the bridge and reinstate the path - despite Dicks best efforts to rouse them into action. Then one day Dick happened to read a newspaper report about a similar case in Tillingham where the locals had fought for a footbridge. Fired up by the article, Dick determined to take the matter into his own hands ‘I’ll throw a bridge over the river!’ When he showed the report to the local surgeon, Dr Simpson, he encouraged Dick to go ahead and offered a sovereign ‘to start you off’. When the landowner heard of the scheme their solicitor the wonderfully-named Mr W Blood sent off a threatening letter, forbidding the erection of a bridge on his clients land – a letter which of course only served to increase Dick’s resolve to see the job done – like a carthorse, the heavier the load, the more he dug in and the harder he pulled!
Despite being called an old fool, Dick set to work with determination and in the course of time an iron bridge emerged from his workshop. Strong but lightly built, it had a 30-foot span and a rise to the centre of 3 feet. It was painted using what could be found around the forge - iron oxide primer and lead white – the result – pink paint. On Monday 29th August 1892 the pink bridge was rested on two trolleys and with some help wheeled down to the river and put into position on concrete abutments ready for a grand opening.
On Wednesday 31st August at three-thirty in the afternoon (it was early closing) several hundred people of all classes assembled on Market Hill. With the town band in the lead a long procession wound its way towards the new bridge. Among the tunes played, ‘Ta-ra-ra-boom-de-ay’ was by far the favourite with ‘every youngster rendering his own version of the tune’. At a number of private houses the cacophony grew as eager instrumentalists made their own attempts to master the tune as the procession passed by.
‘It was the first time in his life that he had ever had the pleasure of so many people listen to him …. but it won’t be the last! [Cheers] Was he an old fool or was it those who were standing there before him? [Laughter] He had made the bridge and it would bear them as thick as bees. [Resounding cheers] It was for others to say whether he deserved credit or not [Cheers, well done Dick!] but he wanted more than just credit - he wanted everyone to subscribe to the cost!’ [Prolonged applause and cheering!!]. The local Solicitor, George Beaumont who was also held in great affection in the town, gave a short address when he said that from henceforth the bridge should be known as 'Nunn's Bridge' and then officially declared it open and invited everyone to cross. A box was held to collect subscriptions and an astonishing 703 people were counted over. Almost £5 was collected which included one half sovereign, three half-crowns, one florin, 15 shillings, 57 sixpences, 16 threepenny pieces, 315 pennies and 55 half-pennies.
Re-assembled on the other side and with the band once more at their head, the procession continued via Curd Hall Lane, Grange Hill and East Street up Swan Yard past the forge and on to Market Hill when the band played a final selection and the crowd dispersed amid much cheering.
The bridge had cost Dick a little over £30 to build (equivalent to £3,900 in 2020). The tolls on the opening day and the amount already subscribed, totaled £13 so our hero was left considerably out of pocket.
In 1992 we celebrated the centenary of the bridge with another procession, with many people in Victorian dress and Dick Nunn’s great grandson a special guest. We all followed the same route from Market Hill via West Street and Crops and so to the bridge where our local worthy, Tony Newton MP, addressed the assembled crowd on the subject of Dick Nunn and his now famous bridge. As he stood chatting on the bank of the river, a dog of mixed parentage raised his back leg and liberally peed on Tony's trousers. Clearly the spirit of Dick Nunn was with us that day and may it always be so. It says something for Dick’s design that 100 years on the bridge, packed with people, did not collapse into the river.
February 2020
'...no longer fit for purpose'. Essex Highways January 2020
Now we are at another milestone with the bridge closed, and Essex Highways, who are nominally the bridge's owners, deeming it irreparable and planning to replace it. But this is not just another footbridge – this is our bridge and it's special.
We need to be assured that every effort is made to investigate ways to repair and restore the bridge before we consider replacement. The design is sound - that is obvious from the loading placed on it during the centenary celebrations.
An application was been made to Historic England for listed status for the bridge and we expect to hear the result of that in late September 2020. Lets hope we are successful.
As of September 2020 Essex Highways are still determined to replace the bridge and when asked what would then happen to the old bridge our local County Councillor, Robert Mitchell, said 'they may demolish it'.
Highways have put no value on the bridge as an historic monument, they regard the replacement as a simple economic calculation. Even though a replacement bridge would not be cheaper than a full restoration of the old one they estimate that a new bridge would need less maintenance than the old one and that apparently is good enough for them.
This bridge is a vital part of our town’s heritage and spirit and as important as any of our old buildings - and we don’t demolish them just because they show their age – we celebrate them all the more for it. We must do everything we can to ensure that Dick Nunn’s Bridge is still there for the next centenary and a fitting memorial for a very remarkable Coggeshall man.
With his truculent attitude to authority and his unstinting efforts to improve the lot of his fellow citizens he offers a wonderful example to us all in these difficult times when Coggeshall seems under threat from all sides, let Dick Nunn be our inspiration!
September 2020
Nunn's Bridge is listed Grade II
Historic England's listing report on our bridge
Nunn’s pedestrian bridge is daring and elegant in its design, a lightweight but strong structure gently spanning the River Blackwater, with attractive slender handrails and curved uprights. It is unique in its design, craftsmanship and installation by a skilled local blacksmith, and an important surviving example of a rare form of late-C19 wrought-iron pedestrian bridge. When a bridge has been manufactured by a foundry, we will usually know the identity of the maker by their mark, however it is less common for us to know the identity of a lone local blacksmith; a suspension bridge at Hebden in Yorkshire is known to have been manufactured by local blacksmith William Bell in 1885 (not listed). Nunn’s Bridge compares favourably with listed footbridges erected in the late C19 to span rivers , including foot bridges over the River Wey in Surrey, River Colne in Buckinghamshire, and at Impney Park in Worcestershire (each listed at Grade II).
In addition to clearly possessing special architectural interest, Nunn’s Bridge also possesses special historic interest as an intentional and meaningful act of social activism. Its blacksmith Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn was ahead of his times as a social campaigner for the welfare of people and animals, and actively campaigned to keep public footpaths open in Coggeshall, rebuilding this bridge at his own expense for the benefit of his community. It is important to recognise that Nunn’s activism predated the establishment of the National Trust for Places of Historic Interest or Natural Beauty (now the National Trust) in 1895, which campaigned for the preservation of the countryside and footpaths to ensure everyone had right of access to the land. Nunn’s actions also long-predate the establishment of the Historic England Ramblers’ Association (now the Ramblers) in 1935, which was founded to promote walking and access to the countryside, and to safeguard paths, following a controversial mass trespass on Kinder Scout in the Peak District in 1932. Such local acts of social activism as those by blacksmith Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, and establishment of national groups played crucial roles in the passing of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act in 1949, and the Countryside and Rights of Way Act in 2000. Nunn’s Bridge clearly possesses special architectural and historic interest, and therefore the bridge is recommended for listing at Grade II.
In recommending the extent of designation, we have considered whether powers of exclusion under s1(5A) of the 1990 Act are appropriate, and consider that they are not.
CONCLUSION
After examining the available records and other relevant information and having carefully considered the architectural and historic interest of this case, the criteria for listing are fulfilled. Nunn’s Bridge, a footbridge erected in 1892, designed and crafted by local blacksmith and social activist Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, is therefore recommended for listing at Grade II.
REASONS FOR DESIGNATION DECISION
Nunn’s Bridge, a footbridge erected in 1892, designed and crafted by local blacksmith and social activist Henry ‘Dick’ Nunn, is recommended for listing at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
Architectural interest:
* as a simple but elegant structure, lightweight in its design but strong in its construction;
* for its unique design, craftsmanship and installation by a skilled local blacksmith;
* as an important surviving example of a rare form of late-C19 wrought-iron pedestrian bridge.
Historic Interest:
* as an intentional act of social activism by the blacksmith, who tirelessly campaigned to keep public footpaths open in Coggeshall, and manufactured this bridge at his own expense for the benefit of his community;
* for the meaningful act of maintaining a public path and access to the country side, which predates the establishment of the National Trust in 1895, and Ramblers’ Association in 1935.
November 2021
Nunn's Bridge Restored and Re-opened!
After a successful community campaign the efforts of Essex Highways to replace the bridge have been stopped and the bridge restored and is once more part of a very popular right of way.
I have written an account of the way the community came together in the campaign to restore the bridge, to read it, click here; Campaign
Pictured in November 2021, showing the bridge in pink after restoration.With special thanks Ed Morton of the Morton Partnership, Barry Hillman-Crouch (Design and Recording Services), Alex Stephenson, Ian Hagger and Julian Prideaux also to Cllr Tom Walsh, Anna Appleton Claydon, Michael Bowes, James Astley, Stephanie Smalley, Dudley Maughan, Peter Miller and Trevor and Rowena Plumb for their work and encouragement in achieving this splendid result. Last but not least great credit is due to the Coggeshall community for their efforts, lobbying, encouragement, and determination to see the bridge saved.
________________________________________________________________________________
Trevor Disley Updated November 2021
Comments
By Paul: It should be listed it is a crime to take it away I love to walk over it By Richard Storey: The bridge is part of our heritage Save it By Rosalind: Thank-you for the fascinating history of Nunns Bridge. It's so important to keep our history. Shame on the Council. By Jeremy Luff: What a wonderful story. How could anyone even consider not attempting to save the bridge. By Jo Inglessis: This bridge needs saving By Tina Diane Wade: Part of Coggeshall .it must stay!!!.shame on you BDC.Coggeshall is changing enough, first st peters hall becoming 'village hall'.ludicrous. now this By Denis Harvey: Get it listed asap! Stop the ECC vandals in their tracks, they've little to no idea about history and heritage. They should be supporting your efforts to conserve it with grants. I'm sure that this is well within the capabilities of a local smithy or engineering company.especially as it was built by one man in the coggeshall smithy! By Georgie Smith: Save the Bridge, it’s Coggeshall history... By Ann Bennett: Very disappointed Was planning to add this to Essex Area Heritage walks this October as part of NWE ramblers contribution! By Terry Joyce: Congratulations on the listing. I saw it on the news today. By Peter ALLAM: Did Essex Highways understand the significance of this structure? It's not reported that they showed any empathy when announcing their condemnation. Maybe it isn't their role but as a Council, for the people, that seems peculiar. By Michael Bowyer: What an inspiring story from beginning to end! And well done to all involved in ensuring the protection & restoration of Nunn’s Bridge. By Paul Simmons: Restoration is a must