History of the Bridge
Moulton Packhorse Bridge is a superb medieval bridge that was built to carry packhorses and their goods over the River Kennet as they travelled between Bury St. Edmund's and Cambridge.
In the medieval period, commodities such as corn, cloth, poultry, fish, salt and hops were transported to market by packhorse trains of up to 50 horses. Packhorses continued to form the core of long-distance transport until the end of the 18th century.
The bridge, with its four pointed arches, is built of an unusual mixture of brick, flint and stone. It is likely to date from the 14th or 15th century. The bridge probably carried a packhorse route between Bury St Edmund's and Cambridge.
The packhorse bridge protected goods from damage that might be incurred during the crossing of a stream. The adjacent ford remained in use for wider carts and for times of low water.
The cost of repairing bridges was a large burden on a small town like Moulton. As a result, a charity known as 'The Church and Bridges Estate' was set up before 1532. Rents from an estate, consisting of four acres of land at Freckenham and thirteen acres of land around Moulton, provided an income for repairs to the bridge and the church.
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