Tarr Steps crosses the River Barle in Somerset and is said to be the longest clapper bridge in Britain, in the Exmoor National Park. It is a Grade I listed structure 180 feet (55 metres) long, consisting of 17 spans with each slab weighing from one to 2 tons. The largest slab is about 8 feet (2.4 metres) long. Clapper bridges, river crossings of dry-stone construction using stone slabs resting on river banks and stone piers, are found all over upland Britain. The term ‘clapper’ is derived from the Latin ‘claperius’, meaning ‘a pile of stones’ – apparently. Some believe that Tarr Steps was built 3,000 years ago, but the earliest written reference dates from the 14th century and most experts agree the bridge is at least medieval. Doubtless, there was a crossing point over the river in ancient times, though – and there is still a ford next to the bridge.
If you’re wondering how it was built, the oft-mentioned culprit is the Devil. The story goes that the Devil constructed the Tarr Steps for a bet – some claim with a local giant, who maintained that there was no way the Devil could build a bridge over the river in a single night. Popular local myth also says that the Devil asserted sunbathing rights on the bridge and threatened to crush anyone who tried to use it. It has been wrecked by flooding several times, but re-built each time. Check the links to find out how!
Postcode is for the nearby Tarr Farm Inn.