Wallingford Bridge

Wallingford Bridge

Wallingford Bridge from downstream
Coordinates 51°36′02.5″N 1°07′13.5″W / 51.600694°N 1.120417°W / 51.600694; -1.120417Coordinates: 51°36′02.5″N 1°07′13.5″W / 51.600694°N 1.120417°W / 51.600694; -1.120417
Carries Road
Crosses River Thames
Locale Wallingford
Maintained by Oxfordshire County Council
Characteristics
Design arch
Material stone
Total length 900 feet (270 m)
Height 16 feet 5 inches (5.00 m)[1]
Number of spans 22

Wallingford Bridge is a medieval road bridge over the River Thames in England which connects Wallingford and Crowmarsh Gifford, Oxfordshire (Wallingford was historically in Berkshire until 1974 reorganization). It crosses the Thames on the reach between Cleeve Lock and Benson Lock. The bridge is 900 feet long and has 22 arches but most traffic now crosses Winterbrook Bridge, built as part of the by-pass to the south of the town in 1993.

History

The first reference to a bridge across the Thames between Wallingford and Crowmarsh Gifford is from 1141, when King Stephen besieged Wallingford Castle. The first stone bridge is credited to Richard, 1st Earl of Cornwall, and four remaining arches are believed to contain 13th century elements. Major repairs used stone from the dissolved Holy Trinity Priory in 1530. Four arches were removed so a drawbridge could be inserted during the siege of the castle in the Civil War of 1646, and these were replaced with timber structures until repair in 1751. Following a flood, three arches were rebuilt by Richard Clarke from 1810-1812 to a design by John Treacher (1760-1836) developed in 1809, and a parapet and balustrade added.[2]

See also

References

  1. River Thames Alliance. Bridge heights on the River Thames
  2. Thacker, Fred. S. (1968) [1920]. The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs. Newton Abbot: David and Charles. p. not cited.

External links

Next crossing upstream River Thames Next crossing downstream
Benson Lock (pedestrian) Wallingford Bridge
Grid reference: SU610894
Winterbrook Bridge (road)
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