Hugh’s or Hugs Bridge

Hugs bridge. Photo by Gary Tacagni.

On the main road that runs between Macclesfield and Leek in the county of Cheshire, U.K. can be found an insignificant bridge that if you were to cross in a car you probably would not even realise its there. There is however more to this bridge than meets the eye, as there has been a bridge of some description at this important crossing point between Staffordshire and Cheshire since at least the 1600s.

The name Hug’s bridge would have been a corruption of the original name Hugh’s bridge, and it is thought to have acquired its name from the man who used to own it, Hugh Despenser. It is thought the Despenser family originally arrived here with William the Conqueror, and apart from the fact that they helped put down resistance which was occurring in nearby Macclesfield, they were also thought to be skilled medics and dispensers of medicine, which is where the term dispensers came from.

At one time a toll would have been needed to cross the bridge, and it is recorded in 1620 the bridge was destroyed in a flood as in those days it was only constructed of wood, and with the river Dane being the fastest rising river in the country it could transform itself in the blink of an eye! When the bridge was rebuilt again after the flood, the Cheshire side was built out of stone and the Staffordshire side was built out of flimsy timbers, definitely not a meeting of great minds! Another story I have come across in relation to this bridge is the following narrative from Millers “Old Leake”,written about 200 years ago and is as follows;

A begging Friar, returning from his rounds, alarmed the Monks of Gawsworth with the news that the Danes were coming, and knowing something of their character, they determined on resistance. They summoned all their tenants, retainers and servants and armed them with such weapons that were at hand, scythes, pitchforks and flails, and with their crossbearer at their head, marched to repel any invasion by the Danes.

The Monks found the Danes at the ford (now Hugh’s bridge) crossing the river. A furious battle took place. The Monks and their allies fought in desperation and having the advantage of greater numbers, drove the invaders back into the river; and the Monks were both masters of field and flood. A bridge afterwards erected at this place was and is called Hugs bridge, to keep in remembrance this celebrated battle of their territories by the Danes.