Kate's Bridge

A petrol filling station, a couple of houses and some business premises are the only buildings at Kate's Bridge on the A15 south of Bourne, so named because of the bridge which crosses the River Glen at that point. Nevertheless, it is a landmark and best known as a notorious accident black spot because of a treacherous bend in the road.

The strange name also prompts many inquiries from visitors but does not, as is popularly believed, stem from a woman called Kate who may have lived there in the past.

Kate’s Bridge was first recorded in the early 13th century when it was known as Catebrigg (1245) and later became Katebrigg (1275) and Káti’s Bridge (late 14th century) from the Old Norse personalised noun Káti, probably a tribal leader, and bryggja, the Scandinavianised form for bridge. Similar corruptions involving the personalised noun exist elsewhere in Lincolnshire, namely Cadeby and Caythorpe. The modern form of Kate’s Bridge is not documented until the 18th century and had evolved through popular etymology.

Kate’s Cabin on the Great North Road near Peterborough, which has no connection, has a far more recent and romantic origin in that the present transport café that can be found there was once the site of the Kate’s Cabin Coaching Inn during the 18th century and frequented by gentlemen of the road, including the ubiquitous Dick Turpin. Prior to that, the original cabin was reputed to have been a wooden hut from which a formidable woman called Kate dispensed gin to passengers travelling on passing stagecoaches.