[3] Documentary evidence states the bridge was built in 1339 by St Werburgh's Abbey in Chester.

[6] During the English Civil war, a brief skirmish occurred near the bridge in 1643 when Parliamentarian forces advanced towards the Royalists holding Holt on the western side of the river.

[8][9] During the summer of 1870, two pillars were made safe as they had been reported as dangerous, and the lower rings of two arches were cut out and replaced with Minera stone cemented in place.

The planned work included the removal of the toll-house and gate on the Denbighshire side, widening of the approach, and paving the road surface throughout.

[10] At the time of the refurbishment there were some people who wanted the bridge replaced with a new one, but this was opposed by others such as the well respected builder George Clark, who wrote in defence of 'this beautiful structure' describing it as 'one of the few remaining links connecting the past with the present' dating back some 600 years.