Ancient Bridge Emerges as Reservoir Levels Drop Due to Drought
Prolonged dry weather has revealed Bessom Bridge, submerged for nearly 50 years in Wimbleball Reservoir, offering a glimpse into the past.
Months of dry weather and sustained heat have led to the resurfacing of Bessom Bridge, a structure dating back to the Victorian era, which had been submerged for nearly five decades. The bridge was flooded with the creation of Wimbleball Reservoir in Exmoor National Park, Somerset, approximately 50 years ago.
The Environment Agency previously identified Wimbleball Reservoir as one of the country's lowest, with exceptionally low water levels recorded. This reduction in water has exposed the old stone bridge, which was replaced by a new structure when the reservoir was built.
Dr. Lucy Shipley, a historic environment record officer for Exmoor, commented on the dynamic nature of the landscape. "We live in an ever-changing world and it's not a kind of fixed point where things stay the same," she stated. "The photographs are incredible, they're just so dramatic of the bridge poking out from the silt and sediment that's covered it."
Other archaeological finds beneath the lake, including a Bronze Age barrow, also exist, though it is unclear why some structures were demolished before the reservoir's creation while others were left intact. The former Bessom Bridge originally spanned a stream feeding into the River Haddeo, with the new bridge crossing the northern side of the lake. The old bridge is now visible from the new one when water levels recede.
Shipley noted that the changing landscape on Exmoor is "extraordinary" and urged visitors to admire the historic bridge from a distance, requesting that they refrain from walking on the exposed, dried-up sections of the reservoir.
Similar occurrences have been noted elsewhere in the region due to the record-breaking summer temperatures. Traces of centuries-old gardens were uncovered at Bishop's Palace in Wells, and relics of old structures emerged at Glastonbury Abbey.
Wimbleball Reservoir has a capacity of 21,320 megalitres and supplies water to hundreds of thousands of homes in the South West. As of September 27, its capacity was reported to be only 21.1%. Despite recent rainfall, the National Drought Group indicated that supplies have not been sufficiently replenished, and drought conditions will persist until rivers, groundwater, and reservoirs return to normal levels. The Environment Agency estimates that the country will require 120% of typical rainfall over the next seven months to recover fully from drought conditions.