Chertsey Bridge
Encyclopedia
Chertsey Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames
in England, connecting Chertsey
to low-lying riverside meadows in Laleham
, Surrey
. It is situated 550 yards downstream from the M3 motorway bridge over the Thames and is close to Chertsey Lock
on the reach above Shepperton Lock
.The bridge is a seven-arch tied arch white stone bridge built 1783-1785 and is a Grade II* listed building.
The first bridge on the site was built some time after 1299 as in that year the king and his family were carried over the river by a ferry-woman called Sibille. The first reference to a bridge at Chertsey is in 1530, then a "goodly Bridg of Timber newly repaird. By 1580 it was dilapidated and the Crown, who had acquired responsibility from Chertsey Abbey
, was trying to find someone on whom they could pin the bill for repairs. The documents record the dimensions as "210 feet in length and 15 feet in breadth". In 1632 the bridge, which was slanted upwards from Middlesex to Surrey, was described as like the work of a left-handed man. The slant was more annoying to navigation and passage was reported in 1774 to be very inconvenient and dangerous.
The present stone bridge was first considered in 1780 and replacement of the old one began in 1783. There were 184 piles for the old bridge, which were cut off six feet below high water mark, and the materials of the old bridge fetched £120 at auction in August 1784. The architect of the new bridge was James Paine and the surveyor was Kenton Couse
. It was built at a cost of £6813 4s 11d. In an early example of contract dispute, the contractor built the number of arches specified, but as they did not reach the shore, the counties had to pay, at extra expense, for linking the bridge to the banks.
On the Middlesex bank, cows graze downstream in Dumsey Meadow
, a Site of Special Scientific Interest
, and upstream is Laleham Park
. On the Surrey bank are the outskirts of Chertsey
with Abbey Chase house on the river bank. At the south east end of the bridge is a late 19th century square cast-iron Coal tax post
with cornice and capping, and the City of London
shield on one face. It is grade II listed.
There are two popular pub/restaurants - one on each side of the bridge: The Boathouse/ Bridge Hotel and The Kingfisher - both have patio areas overlooking the Thames. The Bridge Hotel is a modern hotel and blends with new luxury apartments with riverside views built downstream of the Bridge in "Bridge Wharf".
External links =
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
in England, connecting Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
to low-lying riverside meadows in Laleham
Laleham
Laleham is a village in the borough of Spelthorne, in the county of Surrey in South East England and adjoins Staines. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and...
, Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
. It is situated 550 yards downstream from the M3 motorway bridge over the Thames and is close to Chertsey Lock
Chertsey Lock
Chertsey Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England, on the northern Middlesex bank near Chertsey in north-west Surrey. The lock is about 200 yards upstream of the picturesque Chertsey Bridge...
on the reach above Shepperton Lock
Shepperton Lock
Shepperton Lock is a lock on the River Thames, in England adjoining the northern bank near Shepperton, Surrey . It is across the river from Weybridge, but not directly accessible from there....
.The bridge is a seven-arch tied arch white stone bridge built 1783-1785 and is a Grade II* listed building.
The first bridge on the site was built some time after 1299 as in that year the king and his family were carried over the river by a ferry-woman called Sibille. The first reference to a bridge at Chertsey is in 1530, then a "goodly Bridg of Timber newly repaird. By 1580 it was dilapidated and the Crown, who had acquired responsibility from Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey
Chertsey Abbey, dedicated to St Peter, was a Benedictine monastery located at Chertsey in the English county of Surrey.It was founded by Saint Erkenwald, later Bishop of London, in 666 AD and he became the first abbot. In the 9th century it was sacked by the Danes and refounded from Abingdon Abbey...
, was trying to find someone on whom they could pin the bill for repairs. The documents record the dimensions as "210 feet in length and 15 feet in breadth". In 1632 the bridge, which was slanted upwards from Middlesex to Surrey, was described as like the work of a left-handed man. The slant was more annoying to navigation and passage was reported in 1774 to be very inconvenient and dangerous.
The present stone bridge was first considered in 1780 and replacement of the old one began in 1783. There were 184 piles for the old bridge, which were cut off six feet below high water mark, and the materials of the old bridge fetched £120 at auction in August 1784. The architect of the new bridge was James Paine and the surveyor was Kenton Couse
Kenton Couse
Kenton Couse was an English architect and Secretary to the Board of Works from 1775 to 1782.He was apprenticed to Henry Flitcroft whose patronage obtained him posts in the Office of Works. His most famous work was the remodelling of 10 Downing Street in 1766–1775. He was co-designer of the...
. It was built at a cost of £6813 4s 11d. In an early example of contract dispute, the contractor built the number of arches specified, but as they did not reach the shore, the counties had to pay, at extra expense, for linking the bridge to the banks.
On the Middlesex bank, cows graze downstream in Dumsey Meadow
Dumsey Meadow
Dumsey Meadow is a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Surrey, England. It is the only piece of undeveloped water meadow remaining on the River Thames and is home to a variety of rare plants and insects....
, a Site of Special Scientific Interest
Site of Special Scientific Interest
A Site of Special Scientific Interest is a conservation designation denoting a protected area in the United Kingdom. SSSIs are the basic building block of site-based nature conservation legislation and most other legal nature/geological conservation designations in Great Britain are based upon...
, and upstream is Laleham Park
Laleham
Laleham is a village in the borough of Spelthorne, in the county of Surrey in South East England and adjoins Staines. It is within the historic boundaries of Middlesex. To its south is Laleham Park by the River Thames, across green belt farmland to its north and south east are Ashford and...
. On the Surrey bank are the outskirts of Chertsey
Chertsey
Chertsey is a town in Surrey, England, on the River Thames and its tributary rivers such as the River Bourne. It can be accessed by road from junction 11 of the M25 London orbital motorway. It shares borders with Staines, Laleham, Shepperton, Addlestone, Woking, Thorpe and Egham...
with Abbey Chase house on the river bank. At the south east end of the bridge is a late 19th century square cast-iron Coal tax post
Coal tax post
Coal-tax posts were marker posts, about 250 in number, first erected in 1851 and forming a rough circle about twenty miles from the centre of London, England, to mark the points where taxes on coal and wine due to the Corporation of London had to be paid....
with cornice and capping, and the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
shield on one face. It is grade II listed.
There are two popular pub/restaurants - one on each side of the bridge: The Boathouse/ Bridge Hotel and The Kingfisher - both have patio areas overlooking the Thames. The Bridge Hotel is a modern hotel and blends with new luxury apartments with riverside views built downstream of the Bridge in "Bridge Wharf".
External links =