Extensively renovated in 2018, the footbridge that carries the footpath between Kings Newnham and Church Lawford was used by the Newnham parishioners to reach St Peters Church, as well as for the local miller in the adjacent Kings Newnham Mill.
In those days the footbridge was known as “The Planks”, and consisted of metal sheets on the bridge deck which by the latter half of the twentieth century began to show their age – as did the handrails, which were replaced by the 1980s.
For many years there was a “causeway” linked to the footbridge heading towards St Peters, helping to provide a more solid path as well as some protection when the Avon flooded. Many villagers can still remember walking this causeway being surrounded on either side by floodwater, at a time when the road bridge had become impassable for pedestrians.
The picture on the postcard below was taken shortly after the construction of the Council Houses at the northern end of Church Lawford, before the Mill Fire, and in those days the footpath also branched towards those houses and what was known as Newnham Lane in a slightly different direction.
Although some work was carried out to make the Planks somewhat safer, moving into the 21st Century it was decided “The Planks” needed to be replaced by a more modern footbridge, and by 2016 the existing footbridge had to be closed. After a village committee was formed to encourage the Warwickshire County Council to become involved, the work on the replacement footbridge could begin. The new footbridge was opened in 2018 by the person who had lived longest in the village – Violet Mallinson.
Details of the other village footpaths can be found here.