Norwich River Bridges

River bridges 00 [ Map ]

ROAD AND FOOT BRIDGES - RIVER WENSUM

Carrow Bascule Bridge:

River bridges 01 [ Carrow bascule bridge ]

The original bridge was erected in 1810 about 500 feet downstream from the present structure, and linked Carrow Hill directly with the north-eastern end of Carrow Road. It had an iron elliptical arch of 50 foot span; designed by A.Brown; cast by J.G.Aggs; stonework by Athow and de Carle and brickwork and abutments by N.Wyeth. It was rebuilt largely of wood in 1833 as a drawbridge. The present bridge by the football ground and new swimming pool was built by J.Butler and Co of Leeds as a single-leaf roller bascule, and was opened by the Prince of Wales on 27th June 1923.

River bridges 02 [ Carrow bascule bridge, Foundry bridge ]

Foundry Bridge:

The first to occupy this site was a toll bridge built of wood in 1811 - the contractors Mendham of Holt. In 1844 with the coming of the railway it was replaced by one of iron by Bradley and Co of Wakefield, and designed by C.D.Atkinson. Cost £800. It was then freed from toll. The present structure was built when Thorpe Station was enlarged; contractors R.Tidman and Co of Rosary Road, Norwich. Cost £12,032. Opened 17th January 1888.

Bishop Bridge:

River bridges 03 [ Bishop bridge ]

River bridges 04 [ Bishop bridge ]

Constructed 14th century. The only mediaeval bridge remaining in Norwich. Of previous structures on the site little is known. In 1249 it belonged to the Bishop’s See. The present structure probably dates from after 1275 when a patent was granted to the Prior to erect a gate “with a bridge 20 feet broad thereto adjoining”. This gate was built over the westernmost arch at the expense of Richard Spynk according to his charter of 1343. Handed over to the city in 1393 it saw military action during Kett’s rebellion (1549) but was demolished in 1791. Only the bays above the western cut-waters remain to mark the site of the two angle turrets.

Blackfriars or St George’s Bridge:

River bridges 05 [ Blackfriars bridge St George’s ]

Formerly called New Bridge, being built of timber in the reign of Henry V and rebuilt during that of Edward IV. Again rebuilt, this time of stone with three arches in 1586. Because the narrowness of the arches was found to be a great impediment to the current it was superseded by the present bridge, designed by Sir John Soane. It consists of a single arch (44 feet span) of Portland stone, with cast iron parapets, and is remarkably strong, all the stones being cramped with iron. The bridge, cost £1,290 and was opened 3rd December 1783. A footbridge which was erected on the west side in 1961 was removed some years later when a single lane traffic system across the bridge was introduced.

Whitefriars Bridge:

Formerly known as St Martin’s bridge. Submerged by a flood in 1290, a later bridge, largely of wood, was demolished in 1549 during Kett’s rebellion. In 1591 it was rebuilt of freestone having a pointed arch of 300 feet span. The present structure (the first half opened on 19th February 1925) is of reinforced concrete faced with mica quartz and white cement. The single arch (84 feet skew-span) is reinforced by 1.5 inch steel bars. Designed by Arthur E.Collins, City Engineer, and built by unemployed labour under a skilled foreman.

Whitefriars: Bridge

River bridges 06 [ Whitefriars bridge, Fye bridge ]

Fye Bridge:

Probably the first bridge to be built over the river in Norwich. Records go back to 1153 but in 1896, when trenching for a drainage scheme, a series of wooden plies from Elm Hill to Fishergate suggested an earlier wooden plankway. A timber bridge here until Henry IV’s time, it was then rebuilt of stone. In 1572 a new bridge of two arches replaced one washed down by floods. Repaired in 1756 it was replaced in 1829 by a single cast iron span of 36 feet, 22 feet between parapets, later increased to 37 feet on the west side. The present structure has two spans each of 35 feet, 50 feet between the parapets. Supported by steel girders it is of reinforced concrete faced with bricks. First half opened to traffic 1st July 1933. Completely opened 29th May 1934.

Fye Bridge Street

Duke’s Palace Bridge:

River bridges 07 [ Duke’s Palace bridge ]

Foundation stone laid 28th August 1821. The first bridge to be built on this site was a cast iron structure with a skew span of approximately 50 feet. It was to provide a more direct link between Pitt Street, St John Maddermarket and the Market Place. Built under the powers of an Act passed in 1820 it was opened in 1822. Costing £9,000 it was a toll bridge until 1855 in which year it was purchased by the Corporation for about £4,000. It has since been free to all travellers. In the 1930’s a weight limit of 12 tons was imposed, reduced in 1972 to three tons. A few months later Duke Street was temporarily closed, the old bridge dismantled, and a new wider one erected in its place. Supported by fifteen concrete beams, each 65 feet in length, it is of utilitarian design.

Duke Street: Duke’s Palace Bridge

St Miles’ (Coslany) Bridge:

Of previous structures the earlier ones were of timber. (Originally there were two bridges here, linking an island to the mainland. By 1521 (and perhaps for some time before) the island had become joined to the mainland as on this date a single bridge was built here of stone. The present structure was designed by James Frost, builder and architect, and was opened on 15th November 1804. It is of cast iron with a single span of approximately 30 feet and width between parapets 15 feet.

River bridges 08 [ St Miles’ Coslany bridge, New Mills bridge ]

New Mills Bridge:

Constructed 1896.

City Bridge:

St Crispin’s Road. No previous structure had been erected on this site. In 1880 a company was formed to promote a Bill through Parliament relative to a proposed railway line between Lynn, Fakenham and Norwich. The city petitioned against this but agreed to withdraw it upon the promoters undertaking to build a road between Barn Road and Oak Street to be carried over the Wensum by a bridge. Station Road and the bridge (built largely of steel) were the result. Constructed by iron founders Barnard, Bishop and Barnard in 1882, the latter was a single span of about 50 feet. In 1972 the northern section of the inner link road was completed involving the construction of a second bridge. Of reinforced concrete, this carries the northern carriageway, the older bridge remaining to take the southern lane. Station Road then became divided between St Crispin’s Road and Barn Road.

River bridges 09 [ City bridge, Riverside walk footbridge ]

Riverside Walk Footbridge:

Constructed 1986 on the site of an “A” frame bridge carrying the disused M&GN Railway line.

Dolphin Footbridge:

No previous bridge occupied the site but it superseded and ancient ferry. Built as a result of strong agitation amongst the people of the district, the City Engineer pointed out that because of bad approach gradients at the northern end, the site of the present Mile Cross Road was a much better one for a vehicular bridge. Consequently it is a footbridge only and was opened by the Mayor, Ernest Egbert Blyth MA LL.D on 15th December 1909. The walkway is only 6 feet wide and beyond the river bridge (which has a double span of some 75 feet) is carried upward on reinforced concrete supports to another bridge spanning the site of the M&GN Railway line. This has been described as an early Norwich example of the use of this material.

River bridges 10 [ Dolphin footbridge, Mile Cross Road bridge ]

Mile Cross Road Bridge:

No previous bridge existed on this site. The present bridge and thoroughfare were constructed as an unemployment scheme, the Dolphin footbridge having become inadequate after the building of the Drayton Road and Mile Cross housing estates. The bridge has a double span of about 75 feet with arches of reinforced concrete ribs supporting pillars carrying the deck beams and deck. The estimated cost was £47,000. It was first opened to traffic in 12th September 1923 by Sir H.P.Maybury.

Sweet Briar Footbridge:

Built to give access from the riverside path on the North side of the Wensum to Sycamore Crescent Wood Nature Reserve. Officially opened 5th May 1997 by Julian Swainson, City Planning Committee Chairman.

Sweet Briar Road Bridge:

Opened 21st October 1932. No previous bridge occupied this site. The present bridge and roadway (opened without ceremony) were built as part of the ring road which girdles much of the city. This was a scheme commenced soon after the Great War to employ surplus labour and to help relieve traffic congestion within the city. The bridge is of concrete, having a double span of some 75 feet, the width between the parapets about 40 feet.

River bridges 11 [ Sweet Briar footbridge and bridge, Hellesdon bridge ]

Hellesdon Bridge: Except that Hellesdon bridge is mentioned in an account of the city boundary in 1556, there is little record of previous structures. The present bridge is a single 40 feet span of cast iron with a width between the parapets of 12 feet. It was erected by the Corporation in 1819 at a cost of £1,169, the builder and architect being James Frost of St Faith’s Lane Norwich. At its southern end the road was built up to a bridge over the adjacent railway line in the early 1880’s but has since reverted to its original level following the abandonment of the line.

ROAD AND FOOT BRIDGES - RIVER YARE

Trowse Bridge:

Earlier structures are mentioned in 1430 and in a Charter of 1556. King Charles II was met by the Mayor here in 1671 and in October 1697 Trowse, Harford and Bungay bridges were broken down by floods. The present bridge was built in 1863 by J.Stanley, contractor, and R.M.Hipson, County Surveyor. Widened in 1886, this portion collapsed during the flood of 1912 but was rebuilt a year later when T.H.B.Heslop was Surveyor.

Trowse Bypass Viaduct:

Over the railway and river Yare: opened 20th May 1992.

River bridges 12 [ Trowse bridge and bypass viaduct, Lakenham bridge ]

Lakenham Bridge:

A bridge on this site is mentioned in 1461 and 1556 in charters setting forth the city boundary. Since 1726, under the Tonnage Act of that year, these boundary bridges have been maintained by the Norfolk County Authority with the exception of Lakenham bridge. This has been kept in repair by the railway company since the mid-19th century when they rebuilt the approach road to the adjoining railway bridge. The flood of August 1912 partly demolished it by undermining the piers but it was rebuilt in 1913. It has a single span of steel girders, the piers and parapets being of brick.

Harford Bridges:

River bridges 13 [ Harford bridges ]

A member of the de Hereford family is said to have first built a bridge here in King John’s reign. Broken down by a flood in October 1697 it was rebuilt, but in 1767 a temporary bridge here was again washed away. In 1832 this and the adjoining bridge across another arm of the river were built with a roadway of over 20 feet, the former bridge having an elliptical brick arch on stone abutments and the latter having a four-centred arch. Both ridges becoming weak through heavy traffic (they carried the trunk road from Norwich to Ipswich) they were demolished in 1965 and replaced by a wider, single span supported by beams of reinforced concrete.

Cringleford Bridge:

Constructed 16th century. Of previous structures we have little information. A bridge here is mentioned in a will of 1272, and in 1519 a flood broke down the bridge then here. This was probably when the present bridge was erected. Built of stone it has two four-centred arches spanning a distance of 54 feet with a width of 15 feet between the parapets.

River bridges 14 [ Cringleford bridges ]

Cringleford Bypass Bridge: Over a period of many years Cringleford bridge was totally inadequate for the volume of traffic carried by the A11 trunk road (Norwich to Newmarket) and in 1975 Eaton and Cringleford were bypassed, the road crossing the river higher upstream by a bridge of reinforced concrete.

Earlham Park Footbridge:

Constructed by Atlas Aggregates Ltd to give access to the newly formed University Broad. It was opened to the public on 21st May 1979.

River bridges 15 [ Earlham bridges (Built 1744 demolished 1971) ]

Earlham Bridge:

Mention is made of an early structure on this site in a will of 1272 and also in 1461 in the draft of a charter setting forth the city boundary. In 1502 the bridge was largely repaired or rebuilt of stone under the will of Thomas Bachcroft of Little Melton. It was again rebuilt in 1579 but was replaced in 1744. This had a single arch of stone and sloped gently from east to west. After the establishment of the University of East Anglia at Earlham Park a wider road was needed and a new bridge built alongside and to the south of the old one. The latter was allowed to remain (disused) until demolished a few years later.

Earlham Road: Earlham Bridge

RAIL BRIDGES

Trowse Rail Bridge:

River bridges 16 [ Trowse rail bridge ]

River bridges 17 [ Trowse rail bridge ]

The first through line to London via Brandon and Ely was opened on 30th July 1845. Owing to some delay in the completion of the single-line swing bridge, the first train started from Trowse. A later double-track structure was opened in 1905. The present swing bridge was built in connection with the electrification of the line from London in 1986-7. Its specially designed swing-deck is the only one in the world capable of carrying 25000 Volt overhead cables. It has a single track allowing trains to travel at 40 mph instead of the 15 mph restriction of the previous bridge. The first train crossed on 15th February 1987.

Harford Rail Viaduct:

Of six brick arches carrying the London (Liverpool Street) line over the river Yare and the line to Ely, it was constructed in 1848-49.

River bridges 18 [ Harford rail viaduct, Wensum A frame rail bridges ]

M&GN Bridges:

Three “A” frame bridges were built over the river Wensum when the Midland and Great Northern railway constructed a spur line from Melton Constable to their new City Station near Heigham Street, Norwich around 1880. One was around 500 yards east of Hellesdon Station; another was a short distance downstream from the Dolphin footbridge. A third bridge of similar construction was built a mile or so further on at Drayton.

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