St Ives Town Bridge

The name St Ives is taken from the Persian bishop Ivo, who originally came to preach in East Anglia.It is believed he died near Slepe around AD600. His bones are believed to have been found by the monks of Ramsey Abbey about 400 years later.

In 1017, a priory was built on the site and the bones were removed to Ramsey. Unfortunately, the priory was dissolved in 1539.

It was the Abbey monks who began to develop St Ives and in 1107 a wooden bridge was built across the River Great Ouse.This was replaced in 1414 when the monks agreed to a new stone bridge which was completed 11 years later in 1425. The original style of the bridge, however, has not been maintained due to essential rebuilding.

A chapel dedicated to St Leger on the bridge, built in 1426,is only one of three bridge chapelsin the country, the other two being in Yorkshire.Not only has it been used as a chapel, but also as a toll house, an inn and a private dwelling.Completely restored in 1930, the chapel is now open to the public.

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