. ▁It ▁is ▁a ▁Gra de ▁I ▁listed ▁building , ▁and ▁scheduled ▁monument . ▁The ▁bridge ▁may ▁have ▁been ▁built ▁as ▁a ▁link ▁between ▁the ▁former ▁Br ut on ▁Ab bey , ▁and ▁its ▁Court ▁House ▁in ▁the ▁High ▁Street . ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁restored ▁after ▁flo ods ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 2 . ▁ ▁The ▁River ▁Br ue ▁has ▁a ▁long ▁history ▁of ▁flo oding . ▁Its ▁lower ▁reaches ▁are ▁close ▁to ▁sea - level , ▁and ▁the ▁river ▁above ▁Br ut on ▁dra ins ▁an ▁area ▁of ▁ ▁into ▁a ▁ste ep ▁and ▁narrow ▁valley . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 4 ▁a ▁protect ive ▁dam ▁was ▁built ▁ ▁up stream ▁from ▁the ▁town . ▁ ▁The ▁valley ▁includes ▁several ▁S ites ▁of ▁Special ▁Scient ific ▁Interest ▁including ▁West h ay ▁Mo or , ▁Sh ap wick ▁He ath ▁and ▁Sh ap wick ▁Mo or . ▁Much ▁of ▁the ▁area ▁has ▁been ▁at ▁the ▁centre ▁of ▁pe at ▁extra ction ▁on ▁the ▁Som erset ▁Level s . ▁Lar ge ▁areas ▁of ▁pe at ▁were ▁laid ▁down ▁on ▁the ▁Som erset ▁Level s , ▁particularly ▁in ▁the ▁River ▁Br ue ▁Valley , ▁during ▁the ▁Qu atern ary ▁period ▁after ▁the ▁ice ▁sheets ▁m elt ed . ▁The ▁extra ction ▁of ▁pe at ▁from ▁the ▁Mo ors ▁is ▁known ▁to ▁have ▁taken ▁place ▁during ▁Roman ▁times , ▁and ▁has ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁since ▁the ▁Level s ▁were ▁first ▁dra ined . ▁Pe at ▁extra ction ▁on ▁the ▁Som erset ▁Mo ors ▁continues