Building Survey at Folly Bridge, Arch 6 East Parapet Wall, Oxford

A Level 3 record Oxford Archaeology (OA) was commissioned by Oxfordshire Highways and Milestone Infrastructure to conduct historic building recording at Folly Bridge Arch 6 in Oxford as part of a conservation project comprising repairs to the east parapet wall and arch portal below. Folly Bridge carries the Abingdon Road over the River Thames to the south of Oxford city centre but Arch 6 is c 75m to the south of the main bridge. It comprises a culvert carrying a minor channel beneath the road and it forms part of the Grandpont Causeway which is believed to have been constructed in 1085 by Robert D'Oilly, first Norman sheriff of Oxford. This was a c 700m long raised stone structure passing across the Thames floodplain on the southern approach to Oxford and it incorporated numerous arched culverts within it to allow water to pass through. The medieval fabric of the causeway is now entirely encased within the Abingdon Road, hidden behind later extensions or refacings to each side and the current remedial works have not impacted on any medieval structure. The site recording took place between July 25 and October 3, 2024. The wall which includes Arch 6 forms part of a Grade II listed building ('Folly Bridge Causeway') and separately the main Folly Bridge to the north is also listed Grade II. The remains of Grandpont Causeway are a scheduled monument. The investigation has confirmed that the parapet and portal wall is entirely post-medieval in date and comprises a large number of phases of reconstruction and repair.