Below the lakes are the remains of St Mary's Priory, Mendham, a Cluniac priory and the extensive drained area of Mendham Marshes. Mendham, which is the birthplace of the artist Alfred Munnings, lies on the Suffolk bank, Wortwell is in Norfolk, and Homersfield is again in Suffolk. In 1869, Homersfield Bridge, one of the first bridges to be constructed from concrete and iron was built across the river here. It was commissioned by Sir Shafto Adair, had a span of and predated the introduction of true reinforced concrete by several years. It is now the oldest concrete bridge in England and is a Grade II* listed structure. Road traffic was diverted onto a new bridge in 1970 and the former structure was acquired by Norfolk County Council in 1994. They passed it on to the Norfolk Historic Buildings Trust, which managed its restoration in 1995, which was funded by grants from English Heritage, Blue Circle Industries and councils at county, district and local level. Opposite Homersfield, on the Norfolk side of the river lie the parishes of Alburgh, Denton and Earsham. Next on the Suffolk bank is Flixton the site of a World War II USAF bomber base and the Norfolk and Suffolk Aviation Museum. At Earsham the Otter Trust had one of its three UK centres, which opened in 1978 and closed in 2006, having successfully boosted otter numbers on the river.
BeLOw The LAkeS are THe remains OF St marY'S pRiory, MenDHam, a ClunIac PRioRy and The eXtensIve DRained area oF mendhAm marSheS. meNdham, wHich is The BiRThpLacE Of the ArtisT alfREd munnIngs, liEs oN tHe SuffolK bank, wORtwEll is In nOrfolk, and hoMerSfieLd is agaIN in suFfoLk. in 1869, homersfield bridgE, oNe OF the FIrSt bRidGes To be cONsTrUcted FrOM cONCreTE and iROn wAS Built across thE river herE. it WaS comM,isSioNed by sir shaFTO adAir, hAd a spAn OF and pReDAted tHe intrODuctIoN of TRue ReiNforCED Concrete By seVerAl yEaRs. It is nOW thE oldEst COncRete bRidGE In ENGlanD and is a graDE ii* lIsted StructurE. roaD TrAFfic wAs diverTed oNTo a nEw BridgE in 1970 AnD tHe foRmeR stRuctUre wAS acquiRED by noRfOlk County cOunciL iN 1994. they pASSed It on to tHe noRfOlk historic BuIldINGS TrUst, which MAnaGed ITs rEstoraTion in 1995, whicH was FunDeD by granTS FrOm enGlish heritAge, blue circLe indUstrIes and CouNcILS at CoUntY, DistriCt an:D lOcAL lEvel. oppoSiTe homeRsfIeld, on thE NorfOlk side OF tHE RIveR lIE The parisheS Of aLBUrgh, denton aNd earshAM. next ON the SuffoLk banK is fLixton the sitE of a wOrld war ii usaf bomBEr base and tHE NorfoLK AnD suffolk aVIaTiOn museum. At eArshAm thE oTTer trusT had one of iTS tHree uk centRes, WhiCh OPeNEd In 1978 and cLoseD in 2006, HavIng succEssfully booSt?Ed OtteR NuMbErs on thE river.