Whenever the height between the river and the bridge’s arches is reduced, as it is at Canning Town, then a rule requires a bale of hay to be hung from a bridge as a warning to mariners. According to the Port of London Thames Byelaws, Clause 36.2, a bale of straw has to be placed under London’s river bridges “when the headroom of an arch or span of a bridge is reduced from its usual limits”.
this post was submitted on 19 Nov 2024
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British folk traditions
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There are many strange and unusual folk customs in the UK, some with very deep roots, others surprisingly modern. We'll be collecting them all here.
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Good sense rule. Keep it in the book. Simple as.
Maybe something more practical like a light now that we have the technology.
So... set the bale of hay on fire? Yup, yup, uh-huh.