Before the bridge was built, it was sufficiently hazradous to cross the River Camel that there were two chapels, one on each side of the river. Those crossing could pray for safety at one, and assuming they made it offer up a prayer of thankfulness on the other. The Vicar of Egloshayle - the Reverend John Lovibond - arranged the building of the famous bridge in 1468. It is supposed to have foundations made from bales of wool. Whether it has or not noone knows, but this was a sheep rearing area and it was a techniques used for buildings on marshy ground. The bridge was widened in 1853 and again in 1962, but the construction remains close to the original. In 1993, the by-pass was built round Wadebridge and a new bridge built downstream