British Iron Bridges

Hampshire

AVINGTON HALL PARK BRIDGE Hampshire N51o 5' 16.1" W1o 14' 16.1"

PRIVATE PROPERTY This early Victorian bridge of the mid-1800's, in the gardens of the 1811 home of the Earl Temle was cast by the local Kings Worthy Foundry, but when the Hall was sold after World War Il, all the family papers were burned and there are no records of who designed it or when exactly. It spans 50 feet across an ornamental lake with a very high arch. Like a Chinese bridge, steps across the width of the bridge lead up to the top on both sides. The decking, the steps and the risers are all make of decorative cast iron plates sitting on an iron frame and they even embellish the arched edge girders. The railings which flare out at the ends are made of circles in lieu of ballisters. The bridge was disassembled and repaired in the mid 1990's. It is in a private garden and permission to visit is required.

 

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Category: Hampshire

UPPER CLATFORD (Clapford?) BRIDGE 1843 Andover Hampshire HEW 502 SU357 435 {N51o 11' 22.6" W1o 29' 19.8"}

A two-span bridge in cast iron from the foundry of Tasker and Fowle at Andover. It crosses the River Anton. All components are of cast iron, including the river pier, wing wall, and abutments. They all slot together without bolts. Only ten patterns were required. It is possible the firm hoped to mass produce such bridges. The river pier is a cast-iron plate 5/8” thick on edge but stiffened at two foot centers with 2 inch thick ribs. This bridge is a twin of the Ladies Walk Bridge in Andover by the same firm, but the twin is a footbridge a little over 5 feet wide while this model is twelve feet wide.

This bridge is not easily found in the maze of lanes and roads around Andover and there are many ways to approach it: here is one. Going in the London direction on A303, take the A343 towards Salisbury. Look for Foundry Road on the left with a sign to "Anne Valley & Clatfords". Proceed through the old village and take the third left over a stone bridge onto Church Lane and proceed to the iron bridge that is just past the Church which is on your left.

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Category: Hampshire

LADIES WALK FT BRIDGE 1851 Andover, Hampshire HEW 653 SU 375 452 {N51o 12' 17.4" W1o 27' 51.8"}

This elegant bridge was made by the foundry of Tasker and Fowle at Andover. It is a smaller twin of the Upper Clatford Bridge in Andover by the same firm. This bridge, a little over five feet in width, carries an unpaved carriage way or drovers lane across the now disused old London Road which lies in a deep cutting below it, both ways being surrounded by ancient trees in a forest setting.

It is the devil to find since neither of these two paths can be reached by car. I never could find the two ends of that disused section of the old London Road which is now a bike and walkway, but the unpaved carriage way which leads to this bridge starts off a cul-de-sac at the end of a still used section of the London Road in a residential neighborhood just off the A3093 opposite to where B3400 comes in from Andover Down. There is a pedestrian footpath at that intersection going through to where you want to be, but to get rid of one's car, one must approach that residential neighborhood from a rotary on the "Churchill Way" section of the A3093, then come around to the street called London Road and park at the dead end. Take the paved footpath to the first right and go uphill on a steep gravel path to the top where you take a right turn again and walk along the old carriage way for about ¾ of a mile to the bridge.

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Category: Hampshire