land-stall

1) The location of a bridge abutment, that is the structure which supported the bridge arch and linked it to the land.

The OED has a single example of the word, noted in the North Riding Quarter Sessions for 1739, and the meaning given is ‘staithe or landing place’. However, the passage from which the example was taken implies that it had to do with with repairs carried out on two local bridges, almost certainly work on the abutments. ‘Land-stall’ can therefore be compared directly with ‘land-staithe’ above. An earlier and more explicit reference occurs in the contract for Apperley Bridge when it was replaced in 1602. The task of reconstruction was given to a mason called Thomas Wallimsley and he was required to provide one good and sufficient stone bridge … containing … two Landstalles or heads … one piller and two archies. Thereafter, the word is found frequently in bridge accounts. In 1678, Lune Bridge, which carried traffic from Cumberland through to Durham via Yorkshire, was badly damaged by a flood which had undermined the groundwork of the landstalls: in 1706, changes were made to Cattall Bridge and it was thought convenient by the County that both the Land Stalls at eather End should be raised for conveniency of making an easier assent and that it should not in any flood be unpassable. These were evidently masonry abutments, since the workmen were to Raise both with stone worke and Earth at both Ends and Pave it all Annew. Similarly, in 1702, the Landstalls of a bridge over the River Laver near Ripon had to be built of good and well wrought hewen stone, well bedded and sett in lime and sand.

dates 1602 1678 1702 1706

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