// BBC UK NEWS — CRONACA
Ancient bridge hidden under reservoir is revealed
An ancient bridge underneath Wimbleball Lake has resurfaced due to prolonged dry weather
Months of dry weather and prolonged heat have revealed a bridge dating back to the Victorian times that had been submerged during the creation of a reservoir.
The ancient stone Bessom Bridge flooded nearly 50 years ago when Wimbleball Reservoir was created at Exmoor National Park in Somerset. It was later replaced by a new bridge.
In the summer, the Environment Agency declared that Wimbleball was one of the top three lowest reservoirs in the country after levels were recorded as "exceptionally low".
Dr Lucy Shipley, historic environment record officer for Exmoor, said: "We live in an ever-changing world and it's not a kind of fixed point where things stay the same."
Shipley said there were other archaeological finds beneath the lake which were not demolished before the reservoir were created, including a barrow dating back to the Bronze Age.
It is not known why some structures were demolished and others were not.
The former Bessom Bridge used to cross a stream that fed into the River Haddeo, while the new one crosses the north side of the lake.
When water levels drop, the old bridge can be seen from the new one.
Shipley said the changing landscape on Exmoor was "extraordinary".