Historic finials become trace-a-ball
A hi-tech solution is being employed to try and safeguard a Warwickshire bridge dating back to 1685.
Honington Bridge, near Honington in south Warwickshire is a five span limestone arch bridge, dating back hundreds of years to a time of plagues, rebellions and great fires.
However, in more recent years the bridge has fallen foul to attacks by vandals and thieves, targeting the decorative stone finials (balls).
There have been several minor incidents and damage caused, but in 2004 seven finials had to be replaced by Warwickshire County Council’s bridge maintenance team at a cost of £3,800, and last year all but two of the finials vanished, costing the council £37,600 to replace.
The county council’s bridge maintenance team has been in close contact with Honington Parish Council, and last year the Parish Clerk sent them a press report about how Cornwall County Council had used microchips to mark the unique stone crosses of Cornwall and stop them being stolen.
Liam Cloherty from bridge maintenance contacted Cornwall County Council, who put him in touch with AVID plc, a company producing microchip tagging systems, mostly to mark animals, but also now to tag property.
Liam said: “We are now to install the microchips on the replacement finials, and these should be in place by the end of March. I’d like to thank Honington Parish Council and English Heritage who have both been extremely patient, co-operative and helpful in dealing with this matter.”
Cllr Martin Heatley, Warwickshire County Council’s Portfolio Holder for the Environment, said: “There are many fine structures in Warwickshire, and the thefts from this bridge have to stop. I’d like to praise the innovation of staff in bridge maintenance in dealing with this matter.”