At almost a mile long, Swarkestone Bridge is the longest stone bridge in England. It also holds the title of longest inland bridge in the country. Made of sandstone, it was constructed in the 13th century to connect Derby and Coventry as part of the King’s highway. It contains seventeen impressive arches, six of which have not been touched or altered since the medieval ages. Amazingly, the bridge is still used for modern commuting.
Local legends have sprouted up concerning Swarkestone Bridge. One common account claims that the two Bellamont sisters had the bridge built after their fiancés drowned trying to cross Trent river on horseback. After spending all of their funds on the bridge, the sisters died penniless so that nobody else would ever drown in the waters again. Many say that the spirits of the sisters now haunt the bridge, while a plethora of accounts have reported hearing the hooves of horses where no horse was seen on the bridge.