Cromwell Bridge ... the bridge is dated from 1561 and it earned its name after Oliver Cromwell's 8,000 strong parliamentary army crossed the bridge on their way from Gisburn to where they fought the King's men in the Battle of Preston in 1648. Tolkien also visited this area frequently in the 1940's when his eldest son John was studying for the priesthood at Stoneyhurst College. Many of the areas around Hurst Green are based on places mentioned in The Lord of The Rings book, Brandywine Bridge was based on Cromwell's Bridge - it's very easy to imagine dwarves crossing this old bridge.

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