British Iron Bridges

Shropshire

COUND ARBOUR BRIDGE 1797 HEW 423 SJ555 053 N52o 38’ 34.3” W2o 43’ 2.4”

This is the oldest cast iron bridge still in daily use. Anthony Blackwell (Bridges of Shropshire p.50) says that it was built by local subscription and possibly built by John Dodson. The mid-span plate says it was cast at Coalbrookdale in 1797. It crosses the Cound Brook in close proximity to two other cast iron bridges of its generation: Cantlop Bridge and Boreton Bridge.

Its single shallow arch of three cast iron ribs spans 36 feet. The spandrels are solid but the lower edges are decorated with pierced iron circles descending in size towards the center. In 1920 and in 1931 it was provided with a concrete roadbed and then with concrete abutments.

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Category: Shropshire

COUND II BRIDGE 1818 NOW THE HALL PARKWAY BRIDGE Shrewsbury Thomas Telford N52o40' 44" W2o 27' 12.0"

Thomas Telford had designed an iron bridge with a distinctive grid pattern in the cast iron arch to span 55 feet over the Rea Brook near Meole Brace in 1811 to carry the Shrewsbury to Ludlow road. This iconic bridge was replaced in 1933 with a concrete bridge.

Telford built a second bridge using the identical design in 1818 to build a 55 foot wide bridge to carry the Shrewsbury-Much Wenlock road over Cound Brook. Telford would use this design a third time in 1822 near Craven Arms for the Stokesay Bridge over the River Onny. This third bridge was dismantled and replaced in 1965. The fourth Telford bridge with this distinctive arch design is the smaller 1813 Cantlop Bridge which is still in its original position over the Cound Brook, but parallel to a modern road carrying the traffic.

The 1818 Cound Brook Telford bridge was cast by William Hazeldine. This bridge was dismantled and replaced in 1967 with a pre-stressed concrete bridge, but its outer ribs were stored in the Iron Bridge Museum and were used in 1988 to build this shopping center foot bridge. The parapet railing is identical to that of Cantlop bridge and must have been the original design. It is a delight to have found such a creative reuse of a very significant bridge.

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Category: Shropshire

COALPORT FOUNDRY/WORKS FOOT BRIDGE N52o 37’ 9.2” W 2o 27’ 6.4”

Between Coalbrookdale and Coalport, a number of the old mills and foundries have been restored for reuse as craft centers, museums, and workshops. This complex with the charming footbridge over the canal is now a glass works and museum. It is especially nice to know that the Darby family’s original Coalbrookdale foundry where the first Abraham Darby discovered in 1709 how to smelt iron using coke instead of charcoal and where many of our old iron bridges were cast is now still thriving as an iron works but under the ownership of the Aga Stove company.

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Category: Shropshire

COALPORT BRIDGE 1818 near Coalport, Shorpshire HEW 422 SJ 702021 N52o 36’ 55.5” W2o 23’ 38.1”

The original wooden bridge at this site known as Preen’s Eddy Bridge was damaged by the historic 1795 River Severn flood. John Onions of Brosley and John Guest built a replacement iron bridge here in 1799 to replace it. This bridge developed a crack in the central rib in 1817. The present bridge was its 1819 replacement. John Onions used some of the old arch ribs and increased the number to five. This is one of the oldest cast iron bridges still carrying local traffic. It is just one mile down stream from the Iron Bridge in Coalbrookdale.

It is a single span arch bridge of 103’ with simple vertical supports in the spandrel spaces and a “cart wheel” open work design on the railings of the parapet.

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Category: Shropshire

COALBROOKDALE: THE IRON BRIDGE 1779 Shropshire HEW136 SJ672 034 N52o 37’ 38.7” W2o 29’ 4.2”

During the 18th c, this area was the center of the growing iron industry and the resulting traffic required a bridge over the Severn. This deep gorge was the only location where the river did not keep changing its bed as it did periodically in the flat upper valley. However, a bridge at this location needed to span the entire distance because a supporting pier would interfere with the heavy barge traffic in this narrow passage. It was the ideal site to demonstrate the structural qualities of the new cast iron developed in Shropshire during the 18th century by the Darby family which would be able to span the entire distance. The architect was Thomas Pritchard and the parts were designed and built at Abraham Darby III’s Coalbrookdale foundry.

The bridge’s single arch spans the 100 feet between its stone abutments. The 800 separate cast iron parts were put together using woodworking joinery for quick and easy assembly and were brought to the site by barge and hoisted into place. The five ribs are joined at the crown forming a semi-circular arch in three parallel ribs with spacers between them. The iron work of the bridge was substantially built in three months. It was opened to traffic in 1781. It is still one of the most beautiful iron bridges of them all and seems to float magically over the river defying gravity and was a tourist destination from the day it was opened 230 years ago.

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Category: Shropshire

CANTLOP BRIDGE Shropshire 1812 Thomas Telford HEW 330 SJ 517 063 N52o 39’ 7.4” W2o 42’ 53.9”

This charming survivor over the Cound Brook is still in its original condition, but is no longer in daily use by vehicles. It is one of a trio of bridges in the same neighborhood and of the same generation that you will enjoy visiting. It is a single arched span of 32’ over Cound Brook. It was probably built by Hazledine. It is now a footbridge and designated an Ancient Monument.

The unusual lattice work design of the arch is one that Telford used a number of times: Meole Brace Bridge 1813 which was destroyed in 1933; Cound II Bridge 1818 which was recycled as a footbride at the Hall Park Shopping center in Shrewsbury; Stokesay Bridge 1823 dismantled in 1965 and stored at the Iron Bridge Foundation and the Atcham Bridge 1818 over the Shropshire Union Canal which was dismantled in the 1990’s when the M54 was built. You will notice a similarity as well to the1816 Chepstow Bridge designed by J.U. Rastrick.

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Category: Shropshire

BORETON BRIDGE 1826 HEW 978 SJ 517 068 N52o 39’ 23.9” W2o 43’ 2.4”

Lord Berwick financed the consruction of this cast iron arch bridge over Cound Brook near Boreton half mile upstream of Cantlop Bridge. This poor iron bridge has been smothered in a supportive coat of concrete under which one can still see the iron bridge. The ribs and spandrels underneath will look familiar as well as the iron railings appearing above the buried parapet. This is one of the trio of neighboring bridges along Cound Brook from that era.

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Category: Shropshire

BORLE BROOK BRIDGE 1828 near Highley HEW 977 SO 753 817 N52o 25’ 56.0” W2o 21’ 52.4”

Located on the ancient Severn River tow path, this bridge crosses the mouth of the Borle Brook near Highley. Cast at Coalbrookdale Company. This bridge is almost as elusive as its close neighbor Mor Brook Bridge upstream. Coming out of Highley heading south on the B4555, start looking for a gravel road on your left with no gate. The only identification on my visit was a yellow “Birmingham Anglers Club” sign. Take that gravel road down to the riverside parking lot. Go over the stile to the towpath right-of-way between the farm and the river heading downstream. You will find the bridge several hundred yards from the parking lot.

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Category: Shropshire

BELVIDERE RR BRIDGE Shrewsbury, Shropshire 1849 HEW 903 SJ 520 125 {N52O 42' 22.7" W2O 42' 40.L"

Carries the Shrewsbury and Birmingham RR across the River Severn just east of Shrewsbury. Two arched spans of 101 feet set on a skew with six ribs and a cast iron parapet. The spandrels have an open-work diamond design. The engineer was William Baker and the contractors were Hammond and Murray. The iron was cast at Coalbrookdale Company. The abutments and central pier are of masonry.

To find the bridge, put on your boots and take Preston Street out of the circle surrounding Lord Hill's memorial column in the heart of Shrewsbury to its end where a new residential estate is on the left and an unpaved lane to the right. Follow the land to the river and bear right along the path past Roberts Ford landing for about a ¼ of a mile to the bridge. The GPS coordinates are from the field above the river path at the height of the rail line just to the west.

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Category: Shropshire

ARLEY: VICTORIA RR BRIDGE Shropshire 1861 HEW 464 SO767 792 N52o 25’ 10.8” W2o 20’ 56.4”

Severn Valley RR bridge crossing Severn River near Arley. 200 foot single arch span with four ribs of nine bolted segments. It was designed by Sir John Fowler and cast by the Coalbrookdale Company. The contractor was Brassey, Peto and Betts of London. The stone abutments are pierced by brick arches which allow passage along the banks of the river.

See very similar bridge at Buildwas (HEW350)

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Category: Shropshire

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