I was walking across this bridge last month with my friend Lynda, when she happened to comment on how we don’t see the phrase ‘corporation of . . . .” in the UK any more. With the exception of the City of London they disappeared in 1972 when the Local Government Act replaced them with Council. It is also unusual to see these days the names of the town officials. I was nodding away in agreement, when I suddenly squealed with excitement.

It was one of those hideously wet April days we had last month, and I only had my phone on me so the photographs I am sorry to say are not great. However Squarers, I know, won’t be bothered and will completely understand my squeal of excitement. Lynda though looked at me in bemusement and so I had to explain I had seen the word ‘reconstructed’ on the plaque in the middle. Then I had to explain about Squares, but not sure she really got it!

There’s been a bridge here in Salisbury over the River Avon since the 14th century, although it wasn’t until 1561 that is was known as Fisherton Bridge. Initially the parish of Fisherton was responsible for its upkeep but by the mid 17th century it was important enough for the county to take it on. This version of the bridge dates back to 1872 when it was rebuilt using iron, and then in 1960/1 it was widened to what it is today.

This River Avon is not the same River Avon that I am now living near even though Salisbury is in the same county as my new home, and the western arm of this Avon rises in Devizes less than 25 miles from where I am living. This River Avon is sometimes called Salisbury or Hampshire Avon to distinguish it from the other 4 Avons in England as well as 1 in Wales and 3 in Scotland. The reason there are so many Avons is that ‘Avon’ means river in old English and also Welsh.

So basically we are saying river river!

Postscript: my lovely friend who looked at me in bemusement died four weeks to the day after crossing this bridge. I had known when we met up in April that Lynda was counting the days, as that had been the reason for our meeting up but even so I had hoped to have shared this post with her. Sadly though Lynda died 2 weeks ago. My memories of our joyous lunch, our stroll across this bridge and how she had decided that her ‘bucket list’ was about meeting up with old friends will remain with me forever. We won’t fade away, as we crossed the bridge.

76 thoughts

  1. Bridges are made to be crossed although we may not know we traversed one or what we found until we look back. SQUARES is like a bridge and we will remember we crossed it and found fun and friendship.

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  7. A serendipitous find and it gave you a metaphor too. Your postscript was unexpected and I’m sorry you lost your friend. What a sensible, and kind, woman to have a bucket list which surely brightened her last days but also made happy memories of her for the friends she left behind. And yeah, I’m another one who has tried to explain squares and got blank looks. Even John asked the other day, how many of these do you have to do? All month!! Well, I’m not obliging him to read them!

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  10. How tragic! I wasn’t anticipating that ending, Becky, but then we often don’t. This is a beautiful post in her honour and I love the song. And yes, I’ve had the ‘head shake’ when I tried to explain squares to a non-blogger too. And I didn’t know that ‘avon’ meant river, so thanks for that.

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    1. Yes, I didn’t expect to have to update it with that news. And thank you for listening to the song 🙂

      And thanks also for being another one who has experienced the head shakes too from non bloggers!

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  12. Oh Becky, a story tinged with sadness but also filled with great joy in more ways than one. How lovely that your final time with your dear friend was so happy. And yes, I tried to explain Squares to someone and they didn’t really get it either. You have to be one of the Squarers to fully understand how important they are. 🙂

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    1. So glad not just me who has struggled to explain the joy of squares in person! And thank you for seeing the elements of joy in today’s squares – it was so lovely to catch up with her

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  18. Lynda’s bucket list sounds like that of a person who knew the value of friendship. Cool that you spotted this and love the background on the rivers Avon. Bernie

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