Vandalised Legacy: The Tale of Beggar’s Bridge

A stroll down to Beggar’s Bridge to take a gander at the scene of recent vandalism that had struck the 17th-century packhorse bridge. News of the damage, likely inflicted by a sneaky hand wielding a Stihl saw, has cast doubt over the bridge’s future. The old structure, standing for 400 years, now bears the scars of vandalism—letters deeply etched into the stonework of one of its piers. The bridge’s thin walls are leaving the experts pondering whether a complete replacement of the damaged stones is needed¹‘Damage to Historic Bridge “Beggars” Belief: North York Moors National Park’. 2023. North York Moors National Park <https:// www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/about-us/press-office/press- releases/articles2/damage-to-historic-bridge-beggars-belief? fbclid=IwAR00q71WYB_HCHyTtcoPpWg3xXwwY9vMd93i82ry9CF 68qhDrRHcucq7S6o> [accessed 12 August 2023].

Just below Glaisdale, Beggar’s Bridge spans the river Esk. The tale behind its peculiar name can be traced back to a man named Thomas Ferrers²Parkinson, T. “Yorkshire legends and traditions” Vol. I. Page 227. 1888.. Whether he hailed from Egton or moved there early in life, it doesn’t matter much, but one thing’s for sure: he had a close call at the river. Attempting to cross when the waters were raging, he nearly took an unintended swim. In his near-soaked state, he promised to build a bridge here if life ever treated him kindly.

And Ferrers’ fortunes did shift; he made his way to Hull, where he managed to climb the social ladder, becoming Alderman of that town. True to his word, he constructed a bridge with a single arch in 1621. The name “Beggar’s Bridge” sprung from the tale—etched on its stones were his initials and that very year.

His memory was honoured with a monument in Hull’s Trinity Church, a tribute to a man who went from rags to riches and made a pledge that stood the test of time until his passing in 1631. Beggar’s Bridge has become more than a river-crossing—it embodied a story of humble beginnings, a reminder that even small promises can shape history.

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  ‘Damage to Historic Bridge “Beggars” Belief: North York Moors National Park’. 2023. North York Moors National Park <https:// www.northyorkmoors.org.uk/about-us/press-office/press- releases/articles2/damage-to-historic-bridge-beggars-belief? fbclid=IwAR00q71WYB_HCHyTtcoPpWg3xXwwY9vMd93i82ry9CF 68qhDrRHcucq7S6o> [accessed 12 August 2023]
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  Parkinson, T. “Yorkshire legends and traditions” Vol. I. Page 227. 1888.