Information board unveiled at Bridge Cottage

An Uckfield bridge which took people and animals across the River Uck for nearly 250 years has been commemorated.

The plaque, situated outside Bridge Cottage, was unveiled on 25 January by Mayor of Uckfield Cllr. Jackie Love.  She was accompanied by Deputy Mayor Cllr. Donna French, Mick Harker, Chairman of Bridge Cottage and representatives of Kier and of UK Power Networks.

While an electrical cable was being laid through Uckfield last year, the contractors, Kier, found that the ducting under the current bridge needed repairs before the cable could be threaded through it. Bridge Cottage agreed to a request from the company to access the site via Bridge Cottage grounds, and in return for this co-operation, Kier agreed to pay for the commemorative plaque.

From 1617, the three-arched bridge carried what is now the High Street over the River Uck.  It was demolished in 1859, when a new bridge was built.  This new bridge formed part of extensive railway works, which were required as the line moved north, following its arrival in Uckfield from Lewes in 1858.  Parts of the old bridge can still be seen – the top of the sandstone wall buttress is visible, directly below where the plaque now sits, while the 1617 date stone is set in the wall on the other side of the road.  The plaque carries three photographs of the old bridge and Bridge Cottage, photographs which are themselves of historic interest.  They were taken some years before 1859, in the very early days of photography.

Mayor Jackie Love and Deputy Donna French at the board. Image © Mike Skinner

Michael Smith, site manager for Kier while the work was carried out, said, “We were delighted to support the installation of a new community information board at Bridge Cottage Heritage Centre, which will enable visitors to learn more about the history of this important building. Our team worked closely with the centre during our work with UK Power Networks to install a new connection to the electricity network in the town. We want to thank the centre and the wider local community for their understanding while we carried out the work. Challenging projects like this rely on stakeholder facilitation and we’re really delighted to be able to give something back to this historically important local asset.”

He was accompanied at the ceremony by Richard Coates, Project Manager, UK Power Networks, and Etienne Robinson-Sivyer, also from UK Power Networks.

Mick Harker thanked Kier for the plaque, saying: “We are pleased that we now have an information board informing visitors not just about Bridge Cottage, but about its historical context within the High Street”

Councillor Love echoed these thoughts, thanking Kier for their sponsorship of the information board, and noting the important place Bridge Cottage has in Uckfield’s community.

The plaque is mounted on the fence to the side of Bridge Cottage, overlooking the river.