The Bridges of Old London | Spitalfields Life The Bridges of Old London January 5, 2013 by the gentle author Traffic from Covent Garden Market crosses Waterloo Bridge, c. 1924 London owes its very existence to bridges, since the location of the capital upon the banks of the Thames was defined by the lowest crossing point of the river. No wonder that the London & Middlesex Archaeological Society collected this edifying series of pictures of bridges on glass plates to use in their magic lantern shows at the Bishopsgate Institute . Yet until the eighteenth century, the story of London’s bridges was solely that of London Bridge. The Romans created the first wooden crossing of Thames close to the current site of London Bridge and the settlement upon the northern shore grew to become the City of London.

When the Saxons tried to regain the City from the Danes in the eleventh century, they attached ropes to London Bridge and used their boats to dislodge the piers, thus originating the myth celebrated in the nursery rhyme “London Bridge is Falling Down.” The first stone London Bridge was built by Peter de Colechurch in 1209 and lasted over six hundred years, surviving the Great Fire and numerous rebuildings of the houses and shops that clustered upon its structure. When traffic upon grew too crowded in 1722, a “keep left” rule was instated that later became the pattern for all roads in this country and, by 1763, all the houses were removed to provide extra clearance. Then, in 1831, John Rennie’s famous bridge of Dartmoor granite replaced old London Bridge until it was shipped off to Arizona in the nineteen-sixties to make way for the current concrete bridge, with its centrally heated pavements and hollow structure that permits essential pipes and cables to cross the Thames easily.

After London Bridge, next came Putney Bridge in 1726 and then Westminster Bridge in 1738 – until today we have a line of bridges, holding the north and south banks of London together tightly like laces on a boot. The hero of London’s bridges was unquestionably John Rennie (1761-1821) who pioneered the combination or iron and stone in bridge building and designed London Bridge, Waterloo Bridge, Southwark Bridge and Vauxhall Bridge, although only the Serpentine Bridge remains today as his memorial. Even to the seasoned Londoner, there is something unfailingly exhilarating about sitting on top of a bus, erupting from the narrow city streets onto one of the bridges and discovering yourself suspended high above the vast River Thames, it is one of the definitive experiences of our city. Tower Bridge took eight year to construct, 1886 -1894 Tower Bridge with barges, c. 1910 St. Paul’s Cathedral from Southwark Bridge, c. 1925 Southwark Bridge, c. 1925 Old wooden bridge at Putney, 1880.

The second bridge to be built after London Bridge, constructed in 1726 and replaced by the current stone structure in 1886. On Tower Bridge, 1905. Tower Bridge, c. 1910 John Rennie’s London Bridge of 1831 viewed from the waterside, c. 1910 London Bridge, c. 1930. Sold to Robert Mc Culloch in 1968 and re-assembled in Arizona in 1971. The former bridgekeeper’s house on Tower Bridge, c. 1900 Wandsworth Bridge by Julian Tolme, c. 1910 (demolished in 1937) Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910. The increased river flow created by the demolition of old London Bridge required temporary reinforcements to Waterloo Bridge from 1884. Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910 Under an arch of Waterloo Bridge, c. 1910 View under Waterloo Bridge towards Hungerford Bridge, Westminster Bridge, & Palace of Westminster, c. 1910 Westminster Bridge, c. 1910.

The third bridge, built over the Thames after London and Putney Bridges, in 1739-1750. The current bridge by Thomas Page of 1862 is painted green to match the leather seats in the House of Commons. Westminster Bridge, c. 1910 Westminster Bridge, c. 1910 Hammersmith Bridge with Oxford & Cambridge Boat Race, 1928. Dixon, Appleby & Thorne’s bridge was built in 1887. Battersea Bridge, c. 1910 Sir Joseph Bazalgette’s bridge was built in 1879. Battersea Bridge from waterside, c. 1910 Blackfriars Bridge, c. 1910 Cannon St Railway Bridge, c. 1910. Designed by John Hawkshaw and John Wolfe-Barry for the South Eastern Railway in 1866. Serpentine Bridge, 1910. Designed by John Rennie in the eighteen-twenties. Westminster Bridge, c. 1910 On Hammersmith Bridge, c. 1910 Victoria Embankment, c.

1910 Glass slides copyright © Bishopsgate Institute You may also like to take a look at Westminster Bridge | London Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia 1862 The first Westminster Bridge as painted by Canaletto, 1746. Westminster Bridge, around 1750. The proprietors of the bridge had to pay compensation to the operators of the earlier 'Horseferry', and to local watermen. Westminster Bridge and surrounding landmarks at night. The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons by J. M. W. Turner, 1835, with Westminster Bridge on the right. Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster , Middlesex bank, and Lambeth , Surrey bank in what is now Greater London . History Edit For over 500 years, the nearest bridge to London Bridge was at Kingston. Proposals for a bridge at Westminster had been made as early as 1664. These were opposed by the Corporation of London and the watermen.

Despite further opposition in 1722 and after a new timber bridge was built at Putney in 1729, the scheme received parliamentary approval in 1736. Financed by private capital, lotteries and grants, Westminster Bridge, designed by the Swiss architect Charles Labelye, was built between 1739-1750. It was only the second bridge crossing to be built across the Thames below Kingston when opened. The City of London responded to Westminster Bridge by removing the buildings on London Bridge and widening it in 1760-63. The City also commenced work on the Blackfriars Bridge, which opened in 1769. Other bridges from that time include Kew Bridge (1759), Battersea Bridge (1773), and Richmond Bridge (1777). The bridge was required to assist in the development of both South London and to give access directly to the south-coast ports for the north-bank expansion of the 'West End', without traffic having to make its way through the already over-congested routes, of the Strand and New Oxford Street, into the City and across London Bridge.

A group of by-pass roads were also developed to facilitate this, resulting in the complex junction at Elephant & Castle in Southwark, then part of Surrey. By the mid 19th century it was subsiding badly and expensive to maintain. The current bridge was designed by Thomas Page and opened in 1862. With an overall length of 252 metres (826.8 ft) and a 26 metre width, it is a seven-arch wrought iron bridge which has Gothic detailing by Charles Barry (the architect of the Palace of Westminster). It is the only bridge over the Thames that spans seven arches and is the oldest bridge in the central area of the river Thames. When constructed it incorporated two 2 metre wide tramways, the tracks were removed in 1952. The bridge is painted predominantly green, the same colour as the leather seats in the House of Commons which is on the side of the Palace of Westminster nearest the bridge. This is in contrast to Lambeth Bridge which is red, the same colour as the seats in the House of Lords and is on the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament.

In 2005 it underwent a complete refurbishment, which was finished in 2007. This sought to restore it to its former glory by replacing the iron fascias and repainting the whole bridge. The work was completed by contractors Interserve and engineers Tony Gee and Partners. It links the Palace of Westminster on the west side of the river with County Hall and the London Eye on the east and was the finishing point during the early years of the London Marathon. The next bridge downstream is Hungerford footbridge and upstream is Lambeth Bridge. The bridge was given Grade II* listed structure in 1981. In popular culture Edit In the 2002 science fiction film 28 Days Later, the protagonist awakes from a coma to find London deserted, and walks over the Westminster Bridge whilst looking for people. Westminster Bridge is the start and finish point for the Bridges Handicap Race, a traditional London running race. William Wordsworth wrote the sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802. In the British Science Fiction series Doctor Who, Westminster Bridge has been used for various location shots.

It was used originally in 1964 in the serial The Dalek Invasion of Earth which depicts the structure as desolate and deserted. Several Daleks are seen gliding over the bridge and the adjoining Albert Embankment. The location was then re-used by the production team when the series was revived in 2005 where the ninth doctor and Rose Tyler run across the bridge in the episode Rose. It is also the name of a track in the Doctor Who Soundtrack album. The bridge plays a prominent role in the Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch "Nationwide" ("Hamlet", Episode 43). Reporter John Dull (Graham Chapman) is sent to the bridge to find out if it is possible to sit in a chair and rest your legs whenever you want. A policeman (Michael Palin) confiscates his chair, saying it is stolen from a woman (Terry Jones in drag) who is standing across the street. Instead of giving the chair back to the woman, the policeman knocks her down and takes an identical chair from her and sits beside the reporter.

He then takes different items from people walking or sitting nearby, finally breaking into a store (the crash of glass breaking is heard followed by the sound of an alarm) to get beer. In the 2000 film 102 Dalmatians, Cruella de Vil goes mad after she hears the sound of Big Ben, and while on Westminster Bridge she sees everything white with black spots (the pattern of Dalmatians). Thames Bridges in London 450 feet long, 70 feet wide Three flat ferro-concrete arches are faced with Portland stone. Architect: Herbert Baker. Engineer: Alfred Dryland. Contractor: Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Co. Ltd Golden Jubilee Bridge (2002) 325 metres long, 4.7 metres wide Two footbridges on either side of Hungerford Railway Bridge are supported by white-painted steel rods which fan out from slanting steel pylons. Architect: Lifschutz Davidson. Engineer: WSP Group. Contractor: Costain/Norwest Holst Grosvenor Railway Bridge (1860) 700 feet long Originally, the four wrought-iron spans carried four rail tracks across the river.

In 1965, the bridge was reconstructed in steel and now provides a crossing for ten tracks. In fact, the steel structure consists of ten separate bridges joined together. Engineer: John Fowler Hammersmith Bridge (1887) Replaced Tierney Clark�s elegant structure of 1827, which was the first suspension bridge to cross the Thames. 688 feet long, 33 feet wide Two river-towers of wrought iron clad in highly ornamental cast iron support steel suspension chains from which the narrow carriageway is hung. The footways are cantilevered out from the main structure. Engineer: Joseph Bazalgette. Contractor: Messrs Dixon, Appleby and Thorne Hungerford Railway Bridge (1864) Replaced Brunel�s suspension footbridge, the chains of which were removed for use in Clifton Suspension Bridge. 1,200 feet long Nine wrought-iron girders are supported on cast-iron cylinders and on the two arched brick river-piers preserved from Brunel�s suspension bridge. The bridge was widened in 1886 to increase the number of railway tracks from four to eight. Engineer: John Hawkshaw.

Contractor: South Eastern Railway Kew Bridge (1903) Replaced Robert Tunstall�s wooden bridge of 1759 and James Paine�s stone bridge of 1789. 360 feet long, 56 feet wide Three rough granite elliptical arches are enhanced by the ornamental shields of the counties of Middlesex and Surrey carved into the walls. Engineer: John Wolfe Barry. Contractor: Easton Gibbs Kew Railway Bridge (1869) 575 feet long Five wrought-iron lattice-girder spans supported on cast-iron columns with ornate capitals carry two railway tracks across the river. Engineer: W. Galbraith Replaced P.W. Barlow�s suspension bridge of 1862. 776 feet long, 60 feet wide The five arches of the bridge, supported by granite-faced riverpiers, are faced with flat steel plating to disguise the steel skeleton that lies behind. The red colour scheme is intended to reflect the red furnishings of the nearby House of Lords. Pineapple obelisks stand at the approaches. Architect: Reginald Blomfield. Engineer: George W. Humphreys.

Contractor: Dorman, Long & Co. Ltd London Bridge (1973) with City skyline Replaced John Rennie�s London Bridge of 1831, which itself replaced the inhabited Old London Bridge of 1209. 860 feet long, 104 feet wide Three cantilevered high-strength concrete arches have spans of 260 feet, 340 feet and 260 feet. The only decorative features are the granite obelisks on the river-piers and the polishedgranite facing of the parapet walls. Architect: Lord Holford. Engineers: Mott, Hay and Anderson. London, Chatham and Dover Railway Bridge (1864) insignia. 933 feet long Five spans of wrought-iron lattice girders were supported by massive cast-iron columns. The superstructure was removed in 1985, leaving just the headless columns and its insignia. Engineer: Joseph Cubitt.

Contractor: Kennards of Monmouthshire Millennium Bridge (2002) 325 metres long, 4 metres wide The flat steel suspension bridge carries pedestrians over the river between Tate Modern and St Paul�s Cathedral. Also known as the �Wobbly Bridge� because of the swaying that occurred at its official opening in 2000. The bridge was closed while the problem was solved using a system of dampers. Architect: Foster and Partners. Engineer: Ove Arup & Partners. Contractors: Monberg & Thorsen/Sir Robert McAlpine Putney Bridge (1886) Replaced the wooden Fulham Bridge of 1729. 700 feet long, 74 feet wide Five segmental granite arches span the river with All Saints Church, Fulham, at the northern end and St Mary�s Church, Putney, at the southern end. Engineer: Joseph Bazalgette. Contractor: John Waddell Putney Railway Bridge (1889) 750 feet long Five turquoise wrought-iron lattice girders supported by pairs of cast-iron cylinders provide two railway tracks for the District Line.

Engineer: William Jacomb. Contractor: Head Wrightson Richmond Bridge (1777) 280 feet long, 36 feet wide Five segmental arches are constructed in masonry faced with Portland stone. Widened on the upstream side in 1939. Architect: James Paine. Engineer: Kenton Couse. Contractor: Thomas Kerr Richmond Footbridge, Lock and Weir (1894) 300 feet long, 28 feet wide Twin high-level footbridges pass over a lock capable of handling six river barges and a weir controlled by lifting sluice gates. Originally hand cranked, the sluice gates are now raised by electric power. Engineer: F.G.M. Stoney. Contractors: Ramsomes and Rapier Richmond Railway Bridge (1848) 300 feet long Three 100-foot steel girders are supported on stone-faced land arches and two stone-faced river-piers. The original castiron girders were replaced by steel in 1907. Engineer: Joseph Locke Replaced John Rennie�s three-span iron bridge of 1819.

800 feet long, 55 feet wide Five steel arches are supported by four stone river-piers, which are topped by pierced lunettes for decoration. Architect: Ernest George. Engineer: Mott, Hay and Anderson. Contractor: Sir William Arrol & Co. Tower Bridge (1894). Massive chains framing the Tower and Gherkin 380 feer long, 60 feet wide Central drawbridge with two bascules of 1,100 tons each, originally raised by steam-driven hydraulic power, today by electricity. Two 300-foot steel towers clad in granite and Portland stone support the bascules as well as a 200-foot-high walkway which is cantilevered out from the towers. Suspension chains support the road spans from the riverbanks to the two towers. Architect: Horace Jones. Engineer: John Wolfe Barry. Contractors: Sir William Arrol & Co.

and William Armstrong Twickenham Bridge (1933) 280 feet long, 70 feet wide Three reinforced-concrete arches are supported on concrete river-piers, with bronze plated permanent hinges at the springings and centres to allow adjustments due to changes in temperature. Architect: Maxwell Ayrton. Engineer: Alfred Dryland. Contractor: Aubrey Wilson Ltd Vauxhall Bridge (1906) Replaced James Walker�s bridge of 1816, which was the first iron bridge to be built over the Thames in London. 759 feet long, 80 feet wide The appearance of the structure of five steel arches is enlivened by the heroic-sized statues which stand in front of each of the river-piers. Architect: W.E. Riley. Engineers: Alexander Binnie and Maurice Fitzmaurice. Contractor: Petwick Bros Wandsworth Bridge (1940) Replaced J.H. Tolm�s five wrought-iron arches of 1873. 619 feet long, 60 feet wide Three steel cantilever spans are supported by granite-faced river-piers in a typically plain LCC design.

Architect: E.P. Wheeler. Engineer: T. Pierson Frank. Contractor: Messrs Holloway Bros (London) Ltd < Waterloo Bridge (1945) Replaced John Rennie�s 1817 bridge of nine semi-elliptical granite arches, which was once described by Canova as �the noblest bridge in the world�. 1,200 feet long, 80 feet wide Five spans of reinforced concrete clad in Portland stone cross the river between the modernist concrete structures of the South Bank Centre and the classical stone structure of Somerset House on the north bank. Externally, the spans appear as elegantly flat arches, but the underlying structure consists of steel box-girders. Architect: Giles Gilbert Scott. Engineer: Rendell, Palmer and Triton. Contractor: Sir William Arrol & Co. Westminster Bridge (1862) Replaced Labelye�s beautiful but unsafe stone bridge of 1750. 748 feet long, 85 feet wide Seven elliptical cast- and wrought-iron arches supported by granite piers cross the river between the former County Hall and the Houses of Parliament.

Gothic shields in the spandrels and ornamental shields emblazoned with the arms of England and Westminster provide decoration appropriate to the site. Architect: Charles Barry. Engineer: Thomas Page. Contractor: Thomas Page For information on Crossing the River: © Copyright Brian Cookson 2006 The Bridges The Bridges The Bridges Westminster Bridge The original Westminster Bridge, designed by the Swiss architect Charles Labelye, was built between 1739–1750. By the mid 19th century the bridge was subsiding badly and expensive to maintain. The current bridge was designed by Thomas Page and opened on 24 May 1862. With a length of 820 feet (250 m) and a width of 85 feet (26 m) it is a seven-arch wrought iron bridge with Gothic detailing by Charles Barry (the architect of the Palace of Westminster), it is the oldest road bridge across the Thames in central London. Lambeth Bridge Lambeth Bridge is on the site of a horse ferry between the Palace of Westminster and Lambeth Palace on the south bank.

The first modern bridge was a suspension bridge, 828 feet (252.4 m) long, designed by Peter W. Barlow. It ceased to be a toll bridge in 1879 it was by then severely corroded, and by 1910 it was closed to vehicular traffic. The current structure, a five-span steel arch, designed by engineer Sir George Humphreys and architects Sir Reginald Blomfield and G. Topham Forrest. It was built by Dorman Long and opened on 19 July 1932 by King George V. The bridge is notable for the pairs of obelisks at either end of the bridge, which are surmounted by stone pinecones however, there is a popular urban legend that they are pineapples, as a tribute to Lambeth resident John Tradescant the younger, who is said to have grown the first pineapple in Britain.[5] Vauxhall Bridge The Bridge was built in 1895-1906 by Alexander Binnie, using footings of the previous bridge, which dated from 1816. The Bridge has 5 arches with pillars with allegorical statues by sculptors F.

W. Pomeroy on the upstream side and Alfred Dury on the downstream, on the upstream side the first figure is Pottery, the second is Engineering and the third is Architecture and finally, closest to the north-west bank is Agriculture. The statues on the downstream side are by the sculptor Alfred Drury, His subjects are Education, Fine Art, Science, and Local Government. The River Effra flows under the MI6 building and into the Thames to the south of the bridge. Chelsea Bridge The first Bridge, initially called Victoria Bridge, opened in 1857, and operated as a toll bridge until 1879. It was demolished during 1934–1937, and replaced by the current structure, which opened in 1937. ALBERT BRIDGE One of the few suspension bridges in London, and also among the most picturesque especially when illuminated at night. Designed by Rowland Ordish and opened in 1873 as a toll bridge, the toll-houses remain in place, but unused with a reputation for being shaky, notices at both ends warn marching troops to break step when crossing.

Battersea Bridge the first bridge opened in 1771, replaced a ferry service that had operated near the site since at least the middle of the 16th century. In 1885 the bridge was demolished and replaced with the existing bridge, designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and built by John Mowlem & Co. The narrowest surviving road bridge over the Thames in London, it is one of London's least busy Thames bridges. Wandsworth Bridge The first bridge on the site was a toll bridge built by Julian Tolmé in 1873, the current bridge, built in 1937 is an unadorned steel cantilever bridge designed by Sir Thomas Peirson Frank, was opened in 1940. It has been described as probably the least noteworthy bridge in London Putney Bridge Putney Bridge is the only bridge in Britain to have a church at both ends St. Mary's Church, Putney on the south and All Saints Church, Fulham on the north. Originally built by local master carpenter Thomas Phillips to a design by architect Sir Jacob Acworth, the first bridge was opened in November 1729.

The current bridge was designed by civil engineer Sir Joseph Bazalgette as a five-span structure, built of stone and Cornish granite Bazalgette also designed London's sewerage system, and the bridge integrates two of his five outfall sewers running perpendicular to it. It was constructed by John Waddell of Edinburgh It is 700 ft long (210 m) and 43 ft wide (13 m), and was opened by the Prince (later King Edward VII) and Princess of Wales on 29 May 1886. In 1933, the bridge was widened to its present three carriageways, the stone marking the downstream end of the Championship Course is used for all boat races through Putney in Olympic class rowing boats. Just west of the bridge, rather than at the bridge itself under which the centre of its middle arch would provide an advantage if starting underneath it, as all races are competed with the tide.

Hammersmith Bridge The original bridge, the first suspension bridge over the River Thames, was designed by William Tierney Clark and opened in 1827 The current bridge was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and rests on the same pier foundations as Tierney Clark's original structure. The new bridge was built by Dixon, Appleby & Thorne and was opened by the Prince of Wales on 11 June 1887 Chiswick Bridge Built in 1933 on the site of a former ferry, the bridge is 606 feet (185 m) long and faced with 3,400 tons of Portland stone At the time of its opening its 150-foot (46 m) central span was the longest concrete span over the Thames. The bridge is possibly best known today for its proximity to the end of The Championship Course, the stretch of the Thames used for the Boat Race Kew Bridge The first bridge was built by Robert Tunstall of Brentford who previously owned the ferry on the site. The bridge was inaugurated on 1 June 1759 by the Prince of Wales driving over it with his mother.

The first bridge was constructed with two stone arches at each end and 7 timber arches in between, which proved costly to maintain. The bridge only lasted 30 years. The new bridge was designed by James Paine was built entirely of stone was again opened, on 22 September 1789 by George III The engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry was invited to assess the bridge in 1892 and recommended building a new bridge rather than modifications to the second one. The third bridge was built of Cornish granite and was opened on 20 May 1903 by King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra Twickenham Bridge Built in 1933,the bridge's architect was Maxwell Ayrton and the head engineer was Alfred Dryland. The bridge was opened on 3 July 1933 by Edward, Prince of Wales. The design of the bridge was of three reinforced-concrete arches supported on concrete piers with Art Deco embellishments.

The bridge incorporates three permanent hinges enabling the structure to adjust to changes in temperature, the first reinforced concrete bridge structure in the UK to use such an innovation Richmond Bridge The Grade I listed bridge was built in Portland Stone between 1774 and 1777, by Thomas Kerr, as a replacement for a ferry crossing. The bridge was widened and slightly flattened in 1937–40, but otherwise still conforms to its original design, the eighth Thames bridge to be built in what is now Greater London, it is today the oldest surviving Thames bridge in London. Kingston Bridge An old wooden bridge has existed in Kingston since before the 13th Century. The existing bridge, built of Portland stone was constructed around 100metres upstream of the old bridge. Built by Edward Lapidge, bridge was opened by the Duchess of Clarence (the future Queen Adelaide) in 1828. Between 1912 and 1914 with the carriageway increased from 25 feet to 55 feet. A new façade of Portland Stone was designed to replicate the features of the original.

The bridge was reopened in October 1914 Hampton Court Bridge The location of the bridge had been a ferry crossing point since at least the Tudor period. The first bridge was built from 1752 until 1753 and opened in December that year, this bridge was replaced by a more sturdy eleven-arch wooden bridge in 1778. By 1840 this bridge had become dilapidated and From 1864 to 1865 construction took place of the third bridge on the site The modern bridge is the fourth on the site faced with red bricks and white Portland Stone. It was designed by W. P. Robinson and the architect Sir Edwin Lutyens to reflect the style of the portions of Hampton Court Palace designed by Sir Christopher Wren. The bridge was opened by the Prince of Wales (who became King Edward VIII) on 3 July 1933 Engineering Timelines - the bridges of London The Bridges of London the modern city | MAPS | reading list More bridges at last ...

1729 - 1900 In 1729, London's second Thames bridge opened to traffic  a wooden bridge that crossed from Putney to Fulham. It is the predecessor of the Putney Bridge we have today. And so the long period of river-crossing dominance by Old London Bridge came to an end. The growth and prosperity of the city and key support from the political sphere helped this come about. Old Putney Bridge was followed by bridges at Westminster (1750), Blackfriars (1769) and Battersea (1772). As can be seen from the list at left, the turn of the century brought an acceleration in bridge building, starting with London's first cast iron bridge Old Vauxhall Bridge (1816). Many of the bridges were privately funded and the charging of tolls was used to pay back investors. With the coming of the railways, the bridge-building trend continued and the arrival of increasing numbers of passengers put pressure on the non-tolled bridges they headed for. In the middle of the 19th century, the charging of tolls was abolished. Old London Bridge hung on but eventually work began on a replacement (1823).

The new bridge was built alongside the old, which stayed in place, slowly crumbling into the Thames, until 1831. Its demolition was a major event in the city, and its demise had a big effect on the other bridges. The water flow was restored to full strength and caused havoc with their foundations. The last bridge constructed in the 19th century was Tower Bridge , which has a central drawbridge to allow tall ships to pass into the Pool of London. Earlier in this feature, we touched on the various factors that held back bridge building over the Thames before 1729 despite London's growth after the Middle Ages, when it began to overtake rival cities. The background section below begins by reminding us of some of these factors. Here is some background, starting with more on the factors that held back bridge building until 1729 .... Traffic patterns before the horse and carriage As we have seen, up to about the end of the 17th century, most traffic moved up and down on the river rather than by road. River transport was big business and the men who plied their trade on boats and ferries represented a considerable pressure group when it came to proposals for new bridges.

A lack of need for bridges early on and the interests of the ferrymen were both factors in shaping the story of London's Thames bridges. Bridge politics The other major factor was that business interests were served by having only one bridge. And not just the business interests of the City of London, who owned and ran Old London Bridge , as discussed earlier. Demand for more bridges began to grow from the mid 17th century onwards. The introduction of the horse and carriage (the first Hackney carriage was licensed in 1637) put pressure on London's roads and on the bridge. There were various ferries but these had their problems. The Lambeth horse ferry to Westminster, run by the Archbishop of Canterbury (the present day Horseferry Road marks the site), eased congestion a little but because it frequently sank, it was not well liked. A major proposal for a second bridge was made in 1664. It was made to the King's Privy Council and to the Lord Mayor. It was opposed by all those who benefited from restricted and congested access across the river  the ferrymen, the watermen and city businesses that did not want trade to move to the fringes of London.

In the end, the City of London paid Charles II £100,000 to scrap the proposal. Nothing more was heard of plans to build a bridge for nearly 100 years. Old London Bridge continued to get more and more congested. The centre of London moves as the city grows From the early 18th century, the centre of London began to move away from the river. Interest migrated to the new squares that were being built by landowners and speculators to the north and the west. The movement was accompanied by a growth in retailing. The West End became fashionable. Traditionally, London had different markets for particular goods: Smithfield for meat, Billingsgate for fish, Queenhithe for grain, etc. A large proportion of goods was sold by hawkers. The early 18th century brought something new  high-end retailing in stylish shops. It's around this time that well-known retailers such as Hamleys and Fortnum & Mason were established. This new kind of retailing increased cross-river traffic and renewed the demands for another bridge.

Building a bridge from Fulham to Putney There had been a settlement at Fulham since at least the 8th century, when the Bishop of London was granted land there. The manor house, around which the settlement grew, later became known as Fulham Palace and continued to serve as a summer residence for the bishops right up to the early 20th century. The bishops owned a ferry, a very popular one since Fulham was on the main south-western route out of London. In 1642, during the Civil War, a pontoon bridge was constructed at this spot, and in 1671 the first attempt was made to get a permanent bridge constructed. The enabling Parliamentary Bill was strongly opposed: some thought it would destroy London's prosperity, others argued it would stop the tide. The boatmen opposed it as an impediment to their trade. The Bill was thrown out. However, the pressure continued to mount. In 1720, the pro-bridge lobby acquired a key supporter in Sir Robert Walpole who, because he represented George I (1714-27) at committee meetings (George did not speak English), is often seen as Britain's first Prime Minister.

The occasion when Walpole was left stranded in a boat by drunken Fulham ferrymen may well have been the decisive point in London bridge history. A new Bill was passed in 1726. Construction money was raised by private subscription and revenue was to be earned by the charging of a toll. London had its second bridge  Old Putney Bridge. Building a bridge at Westminster Along with demands for a bridge at Putney, various people were pressing for a bridge at Westminster. Petitions went to Parliament as early as 1721. There was the same opposition as before, this time joined by the owners of Old Putney Bridge, who, having got their bridge and their £49-a-week toll revenue, were keen not to see it diluted. Matters were delayed for 16 years but in the end, the case was won and work began in 1738. Both the watermen and the Archbishop of Canterbury, owner of the Lambeth horse ferry, had to be compensated for loss of business in the building of Old Westminster Bridge : £25,000 and £21,025, respectively. It was built by a Swiss engineer, Charles Labelye and paid for by Parliament.

It was toll-free. Westminster Bridge was a direct challenge to the City of London. Their bridge, Old London Bridge , lacked the attractive modern lines of the new one, was highly congested and was not toll-free. The City responded by knocking down all the shops and houses on Old London Bridge to widen the roadway and reduce congestion. In 1782, all tolls were removed but rather than easing congestion, this led to an increase in traffic. Bridge boom and the demise of Old London Bridge London, by now a city of 675,000 souls and expanding away from the river  to the north, south and west  and with commercial opposition to new bridges overcome, started building all the bridges it needed. Old Blackfriars Bridge was completed in 1769 and Old Battersea Bridge in 1772. The world's first major cast iron bridge  Iron Bridge over the River Severn at Coalbrookdale  was completed in 1781. The invention of cast iron and advances in materials and engineering now made bridges easier to build and more ambitious designs possible.

Old Vauxhall Bridge, completed in 1816 using a loan against future toll income, was London's first cast iron bridge. Old Waterloo Bridge opened the following year and Old Southwark Bridge two years later. London's first suspension Bridge, Hammersmith Suspension (now demolished), opened in 1827. Isambard Kingdom Brunel's Hungerford Suspension Bridge (now demolished) opened in 1845. In 1823 work began on a replacement for Old London Bridge. The foundations of the venerable structure, altered and re-altered many times, were eroding away and the bridge had become a danger to shipping. The new version of London Bridge opened alongside its predecessor eight years later, in 1831. Designed by Scottish engineer John Rennie, this bridge is perhaps best known for having ended up in Arizona. And so, the bridge that had stood for over 600 years, one of the Medieval wonders of the world, was now to be demolished. Its removal caused serious erosion problems for the bridges upstream, as the current now increased considerably. Rennie's replacement only had three piers compared to the old bridge's 19 and the water was no longer held back.

The coming of the railways After the initial bridge building spree, two factors contributed to congestion in London. The first was the toll payment system, which fuelled the amount of speculative bridge-building in anticipation of profit. You might think that this would ease congestion but people preferred to use the non-toll bridges and so headed for certain ones over others. The second factor was the coming of the railways in the early 19th century. At first, trains terminated at stations each side of the river. The continued expansion of London led to enormous congestion around stations, particularly on the south side of the Thames, since everyone disembarking wanted to then cross over. Naturally, they looked for the toll-free bridges  Old Blackfriars Bridge and London Bridge (1831). Old Southwark Bridge was hardly used at this time because it charged a toll. The City of London recognised that it had to buy the privately owned Southwark Bridge and remove the charge. It was a process, started in 1849, that took 17 years. When the London Metropolitan Board of Works was created it continued the process, buying eleven private bridges between 1878 and 1880.

The first railway bridge in the London area was designed by Joseph Locke  Barnes Rail Bridge  and opened in 1849. It was followed by the now-demolished Victoria Bridge in 1860, then Battersea Railway Bridge in 1863 and both the first Blackfriar's Rail Bridge and Charing Cross Rail Bridge a year later. Cannon Street Rail Bridge opened in 1866. Truly a railway bridge-building boom and at the end of it, most lines had a north London terminus. Crossing below the Pool of London The continued importance of the Pool of London  between London Bridge and the City of London's eastern boundary  imposed restraints on bridge design. The arrival of ships generated road traffic and a bridge was needed below the Pool. The bridge had to allow tall ships to pass. Tower Bridge (1894) was the solution. It works like a drawbridge and was the last of the Victorian bridges to be built on the Thames. Some ships, particularly collier vessels carrying coal to the Fulham and Wandsworth power stations, had to travel further up the Thames and this was made possible not by changing the bridges but by designing boats to cope with them.

Colliers were built to be low in the water and had collapsible funnels and masts. They went upstream on the rising tide but could only return at low tide, since without their cargo they rode higher in the water. Tunnelling Tunnelling was pursued in the late 18th century as an option that provided a crossing without interfering with shipping. Early attempts were all sited downstream of the Port of London, since the engineering was too complicated to undertake if a bridge could be made to serve the same purpose. The first attempt was made by Ralph Dodd in 1798 and sited between Tilbury and Gravesend. It failed because water could not be pumped out fast enough. A second tunnel was attempted a few years later by Robert Vaize and Richard Trevithick (Limehouse to Rotherhithe) but was abandoned after a cave in. It was Marc Brunel who made the tunnelling breakthrough with his invention of an iron cylinder that moved forward with the tunnellers, the design of which was based on his observation of wood-boring molluscs in ships' hulls. The Thames Tunnel was completed in 1843 and is still used by London Underground for East London Line trains.

The first (open cut) Underground line opened in 1863. However, the first Thames crossing didn't come until 1877 with the opening of the District Line, which used (and still uses) the Kew Railway Bridge . The Underground began using the Thames Tunnel in 1884 and went on to open the first of its deep level railways in 1890, which includes a tunnel under the Thames from what is now Bank Station to London Bridge Station. HistoryWorld - bridges Timeline HistoryWorld Click the icons to visit linked content. Hover to see the search terms.

Construction begins on London Bridge, the first stone bridge to be built across a tidal waterway 'Old London Bridge 1745', watercolour by Dodd Guildhall Library A bridge is opened at Westminster Westminster Bridge, by Farington, 1789 Guildhall Library Robert Mylne completes his new bridge at Blackfriars Blackfriars Bridge, by James Black, 1802 Guildhall Library 1774 April A tontine is launched in Richmond to raise money for the construction of a bridge across the Thames 1777 January Richmond Bridge, designed by James Paine and Kenton Couse, opens to traffic (and is now the oldest bridge in London) 1800 Westminster Bridge Westminster Bridge Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the River Thames between Westminster, Middlesex bank, and Lambeth, Surrey bank in what is now Greater London, England. Westminster Bridge Opening date 1862 History For over 600 years, the nearest bridge to London Bridge was at Kingston. Proposals for a bridge at Westminster had been made as early as 1664. These were opposed by the Corporation of London and the watermen.

Despite further opposition in 1722 and after a new timber bridge was built at Putney in 1729, the scheme received parliamentary approval in 1736. Financed by private capital, lotteries and grants, Westminster Bridge, designed by the Swiss architect Charles Labelye, was built between 1739-1750. It was only the second bridge crossing to be built across the Thames below Kingston when opened. The City of London responded to Westminster Bridge by removing the buildings on London Bridge and widening it in 1760-63. The City also commenced work on the Blackfriars Bridge, which opened in 1769. Other bridges from that time include Kew Bridge (1759), Battersea Bridge (1773), and Richmond Bridge (1777). The bridge was required to assist in the development of both South London and to give access directly to the south-coast ports for the north-bank expansion of the 'West End', without traffic having to make its way through the already over-congested routes, of the Strand and New Oxford Street, into the City and across London Bridge.

A group of by-pass roads were also developed to facilitate this, resulting in the complex junction at Elephant & Castle in Southwark, then part of Surrey. By the mid 19th century it was subsiding badly and expensive to maintain. The current bridge was designed by Thomas Page and opened in 1862. With an overall length of 252 metres (826.8 ft) and a 26 metre width, it is a seven-arch wrought iron bridge which has Gothic detailing by Charles Barry (the architect of the Palace of Westminster). It is the only bridge over the Thames that spans seven arches and is the oldest bridge in the central area of the river Thames. When constructed it incorporated two 2 metre wide tramways, the tracks were removed in 1952. The bridge is painted predominantly green, the same colour as the leather seats in the House of Commons which is on the side of the Palace of Westminster nearest the bridge. This is in contrast to Lambeth Bridge which is red, the same colour as the seats in the House of Lords and is on the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament.

In 2005 it underwent a complete refurbishment, which was finished in 2007. This sought to restore it to its former glory by replacing the iron fascias and repainting the whole bridge. The work was completed by contractors Interserve and engineers Tony Gee and Partners. It links the Palace of Westminster on the west side of the river with County Hall and the London Eye on the east and was the finishing point during the early years of the London Marathon. The next bridge downstream is Hungerford footbridge and upstream is Lambeth Bridge. The bridge was given Grade II listed structure in 1981. пїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅ пїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅпїЅ «Westminster Bridge» Bridges over The River Thames in London Home » City Guide » London » Bridges over The River Thames in London Bridges over The River Thames in London Rivers Thames is known for the breath-taking views it offers, and many people throng the area to bask in the faint sunlight that stretches across the tranquil water of the river at dawn and dusk.

However, an interesting fact about this 346 km long river is that it has over 20 tunnels and a huge number of 214 bridges working as threads to keep the city connected and accessible. If you’re wondering which are those bridges, then this article is going to be a good source of information. We have listed down all the bridges that fall over the River Thames along with their photos and basic details. Others are Reading 1 Tower Bridge This boasts of two overwhelming towers that are tied together by 2 walkways that are horizontal. The bridge was built over a period of 8 years and is in close proximity to the Tower of London and that’s where it takes its name from. 2 London Bridge Nestled between the Tower bridge and Cannon Street Railway bridge, the London Bridge is one of more popular bridges and is an icon of sorts, even featuring in a nursery rhyme. 3 Cannon Street Railway Bridge This bridge has had a happening history and was created back in 1866, with the latest renovation happening in the 1980s, giving it the utilitarian look that it has today. The bridge is also near where the Marchioness disaster took place (in which two boats collided in a tragic manner).

4 Southwark Bridge Brainchild of Ernest George and Basil Mott who designed it, Southwark Bridge's construction was done by Sir William Arrol & Co. and the bridge was finally opened in 1921 after completion. 5 Millennium Bridge Made specifically for pedestrians who wish to cross River Thames, the Millennium Brdige was finally opened in 2002 after a tumultuous phase of creation, when it was opened earlier but pedestrians complained that it wobbled. 6 Blackfriars Bridge There have been numerous renovations in this bridge's history, starting from 1769, when it was finally opened to the public after 9 years of construction. The bridge was initially 995 feet long, but when the whole structure was rebuilt, its length was decreased to 992 feet. 7 Lambeth Bridge Lambeth is the bridge we see in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, when the knight bus has to pass through Leyland Titans. And it is also seen in the crime drama presented by BBC, called Walking the Dead, besides being shown in Blood Diamond. 8 Westminster Bridge This bridge works as an accessibility point between the Westminster Palace and County Hall as well as the London Eye.

The color of the bridge is green like the seats inside House of Commons. 9 Waterloo Bridge This bridge provides exceptional views of the city of London (including the London eye, City of London and South Bank) that no other spot on ground level offers. The current structure that we see was built after demolishing the previously built bridge at the same spot. 10 Vauxhall Bridge Having been built twice and construction of both bridges proved to be troublesome because they required numerous renovations and redesigns that were undertaken by different architects. It is worth mentioning that it took 8 years to complete the construction of the second bridge. 11 Chiswick Bridge This was one of the three bridges that were opened as part of a plan to reduce traffic congestion. Although it does not boast of the same grandeur that the other bridges do, it's simplistic design has its own charm. 12

Question: What was the second bridge to be built over the Thames in London in 1750?
Answer: Westminster Bridge