Zirconium

Zouch Bridge is the county bridge which crosses the River Soar at the boundary between Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire.

The present county bridge was built in 1793. This replaced the 13^th-century packhorse bridge which was built during the reign of Edward I, who died in 1307. In those days, the bridge was the only one across the Soar in that area.

The Zouch Bridge was damaged in the great flood of 1315-1316 which swept across the whole of Western Europe, following which Edward II set up a Royal Commission to inspect all the bridges and causeways in his kingdom. Inhabitants of the parishes at either end of the bridge – Hathern and Sutton Bonington – denied responsibility for its upkeep.

The name zirconium comes from the Arabic word for ‘gold colour’ which is zargun.

The element, discovered in 1789 in Berlin, is a silver-grey transition metal. It is highly resistant to corrosion.

Zircon is a natural semi-precious gemstone found in a variety of colours. The Ancient Egyptians used zircon gemstones in jewellery.