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Multiple storms since 2022 have resulted in the loss of around a dozen of the 57 stones across the River Wharfe, below the priory ruins, making the crossing impassable; but now, work is underway by the Bolton Abbey Estate for its careful and painstaking restoration. Once the ancient right of way for the Augustinian monks going to and from the Priory, the stones have become an attraction for generations of visitors, young and old, who have enjoyed using them to ford their way across the water. A landmark in the history of both the Priory and surrounding area, photographic records from the 1800s show the stepping stones standing proud of the water even before the first bridge was built in 1899.

It’s believed the estate workmen who built the bridge were entertained with a knife and fork tea in the rectory garden. A spate river, the water level of the Wharfe rises and falls quickly following rainfall as the large number of surrounding ‘becks’ or streams which carry water from the surrounding countryside swell. Despite the strong torrents of water during storms, the well embedded stones are not washed away but rather knocked out by large debris such as entire trees and branches which are naturally carried in high waters.



The plans to refurbish the crossing have been in development for more than two years, with consent granted for the project by the Yorkshire Dales National Park Authority last autumn and following consultation with organisations including Environment Agency, .

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