The River Path
Fords & Stepping Stones
Fords form crossing places usually where the rivers were at their shallowest, which often meant they were wide. Going through a ford or 'watersplash' on a bicycle or in a car still provides excitement. One assumed they would always be with us, but how many are left? When fords are replaced with bridges it is important to ensure that the ford is left intact.
Some fords were passable for people on foot with the help of stepping stones. Twelfth century or earlier examples of these can be seen at Dovedale in Derbyshire, over the Tavy on Dartmoor, on the River Wharf at Bolton Abbey. At Brungerley Hipping Stones over the Ribble, Henry VI was arrested in 1464 and taken to the Tower. Twentieth century stepping stones, created for the villagers of Masham in Yorkshire by sculptor Alain Ayers, provide a dry way across when the stream is up.
The pictures shows (left) Alain Ayers' stepping stones at Hilton in North Yorkshire and (right) the Tarrant at Tarrant Monkton in Dorset.
