Near the time of his finishing this road, the building of a bridge was advertised to be contracted for, at Boroughbridge; and a number of gentlemen met for that purpose at the Crown inn there. Metcalf, amongst others, went also. The masons varied considerably in their estimates. Ostler, the surveyor of the roads, was appointed to survey the bridge; and Metcalf told him that he wished to undertake it, though he had never done any thing of the kind before. On this, the surveyor acquainted the gentlemen with what Metcalf had proposed; when he was sent for, and asked what he knew about a bridge: he told them, that he could readily describe it, if they would take the trouble of writing down his plan, which was as follows: “The span of the arch, 18 feet, being a semi-circle, makes 27: the arch-stones must be a foot deep, which if multiplied by 27, will be 486; and the bases will be 72 feet more.—This for the arch: it will require good backing; for which purpose there are proper stones in the old Roman wall at Aldborough, which may be brought, if you please to give directions to that effect.” The gentlemen were surprised at his readiness, and agreed with him for building the bridge. The persons who had given in their estimates, were much offended; and as the stone was to be procured from Renton, a sale-quarry belonging to one of the masons who were there, he was unwilling to sell any to Metcalf; upon which he went to Farnham, and found good stones, which the lime-burners had left, (being too strong for their purpose,) got them dressed at the place for little money, conveyed them to Boroughbridge, and having men to take them off the carriages, set them, and completed the arch in one day; and finished the whole in a very short period. Soon after, there was a mile and an half of turnpike-road to be made between Knaresborough-Bridge and Harrogate, which Metcalf also agreed for. Going one day over a place covered with grass, he told his men that he thought it different from the ground adjoining, and would have them try for stone or gravel, which they immediately did, and found an old causeway, supposed to have been made in the time of the Romans, which afforded many materials proper for the purpose of making the road. Between the Forest-Lane head and Knaresborough-Bridge, there was a bog, in a low piece of ground, over which to have passed was the nearest way; and the surveyor thought it impossible to make a road over it: but Metcalf assured him that he could readily accomplish it.—The other then told him, that if so, he should be paid for the same length as if he had gone round. Jack set about it, cast the road up, and covered it with whin, and ling; and made it as good, or better, than any part he had undertaken. He received about four hundred pounds for the road and a small bridge which he had built over a brook called Stanbeck.