Kew Bridge
Encyclopedia
Kew Bridge is a bridge
in London
over the River Thames
. The present bridge was designed by John Wolfe-Barry
and opened in 1903 by King Edward VII. The bridge was given
Grade II listed structure protection in 1983.
on the south bank and Strand-on-the-Green
in Chiswick
on the north bank. It is immediately adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens
on the Kew side of the river and the former Grand Junction Waterworks Company
buildings (now Kew Bridge Steam Museum
) on the north.
The bridge forms the connection between the South Circular
and North Circular
roads to the west of London, and is nearly always very congested.
Beside the bridge on the downstream Kew bank is Kew Gardens Pier
, which serves tourist ferries operating under license from London River Services
.
Richmond Museum has an engraving by John Barnard
, architect of the design for the first Kew Bridge, dedicated to George, Prince of Wales
and his mother Augusta and dated 1759. Bernard describes it as the Bridge over the River of Thames from Kew in the County of Surry to the opposite shore in the County of Middlesex. Kew and the area around the bridge was significant to George as his father Frederick
took a lease on Kew House, now part of the Royal Botanic Gardens from 1731 and rebuilt the house to designs by William Kent
. George's mother Augusta started the botanic gardens and created many of the garden buildings.
The first bridge was built by Robert Tunstall of Brentford
who previously owned the ferry on the site. The bridge was inaugurated on 1 June 1759 by the Prince of Wales driving over it with his mother and a number of other royals, and was opened to the public 3 days later. Such was the excitement that over 3,000 people crossed in one day. Tolls ranged from 1 penny
for each pedestrian to 1 shilling
and six pence for a coach and four horses.
The first bridge was constructed with two stone arches at each end and 7 timber arches in between, which proved costly to maintain and as a consequence the bridge only lasted 30 years. In 1782 Robert Tunstall, son of the builder of the first bridge, obtained consent to replace the bridge and work began on 4 June 1783, the anniversary date of the first bridge opening to the public. The new bridge was designed by James Paine who had previously been responsible for Richmond Bridge
. The cost was £16,500 which was raised by means of a tontine
.
The second bridge was built alongside the first, to avoid hindrance to traffic during construction work, and this time was built entirely of stone. It was again opened, on 22 September 1789, by George, who by this time had become King George III, crossing with a great concourse of carriages. The tolls were a half penny per pedestrian and 6 pence for each horse. The bridge was sold by auction to a Mr Robinson for £23,000 in 1819 and again in 1873, when it was purchased by a joint committee of the City of London Corporation and the Metropolitan Board of Works
for £57,300. The exhibition included a copy of a J.M.W. Turner sketch of the second bridge from Brentford Ait
circa 1805/6 with barges on the left.
The tollbooths were at the Brentford end of the bridge and were originally planned as pavilions with Doric
portico
s. To save on the cost rather simpler Italianate booths were built instead of brick
and stucco
. Tolls were abolished on 8 February 1873 and a triumphal arch was built at the Brentford entrance to the bridge. The gates were removed and paraded on a brewer’s dray through Brentford and around Kew Green.
By the 1890s it was clear that the second bridge could not really cope with the weight of traffic and in any case the approach was too narrow and steep on the Brentford side. The engineer Sir John Wolfe Barry was invited to assess the bridge in 1892 and recommended building a new bridge rather than modifications to the second one.
The Kew Bridge Act of 1898 paved the way and the third bridge was commissioned jointly by the Middlesex
and Surrey
County Councils at a cost of £250,000. The engineers were Barry and Cuthbert A Brereton and the building contractors were Easton Gibbs and Son. The third bridge is 1,182 feet (360 m) long, and the largest of its three arches has a span of 133 feet (41 m). The roadway is 56 feet (17 m) wide (compared to 18 feet (5 m) on the second bridge), and the pavements 9 feet 6 inches (3 m) compared to 3 feet 3 inches (1 m). It was built of granite
from Cornwall
.
A temporary wooden bridge was put in place upstream of the second bridge before demolition during October to December 1899. The third bridge was completed for an official opening on 20 May 1903 by King Edward VII
and Queen Alexandra
who processed through Kensington
, Hammersmith
, Chiswick
and Brentford
on the way to the ceremony, returning via Mortlake
and Barnes and re-crossing the Thames at Putney Bridge
.
The centre of the bridge was provided with a tented pavilion 60 yards long and spanning its whole width. A special temporary balcony, projecting from this, was installed so that the crowds on the banks and on the water could see the royal visitors. The King laid the last coping stone with a silver trowel and declared the bridge open. He and the Queen were given a number of gifts including bouquets, a bound history of the bridge and various other commemorative items including a silver mounted prehistoric flint axe found during construction work, another axe with part of its haft remaining and a fine silver spirit level made in the shape of the bridge itself. Later the Mayor of Richmond presented a chair with the ladders in its back carved in the shape of the three bridges. The inhabitants of Brentford and Chiswick presented a 1721 silver tankard.
After the departure of the royals a huge party took place on the lawns at Kew Gardens and 1,000 children were entertained to tea in a marquee on Kew Green, an event hosted by Cuthbert Brereton.
Bridge
A bridge is a structure built to span physical obstacles such as a body of water, valley, or road, for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
over the River Thames
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,...
. The present bridge was designed by John Wolfe-Barry
John Wolfe-Barry
Sir John Wolfe-Barry was an English civil engineer of the late 19th and early 20th century. His most famous project was the construction of Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London.-Early career:...
and opened in 1903 by King Edward VII. The bridge was given
Grade II listed structure protection in 1983.
Location
Kew Bridge crosses the River Thames between Kew Green in KewKew
Kew is a place in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames in South West London. Kew is best known for being the location of the Royal Botanic Gardens, now a World Heritage Site, which includes Kew Palace...
on the south bank and Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green
Strand-on-the-Green is an area of Chiswick in west London.-Location and description:Strand-on-the-Green is located immediately to the east of Kew Bridge, along the north bank of the river Thames...
in Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
on the north bank. It is immediately adjacent to the Royal Botanic Gardens
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew
The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, usually referred to as Kew Gardens, is 121 hectares of gardens and botanical glasshouses between Richmond and Kew in southwest London, England. "The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew" and the brand name "Kew" are also used as umbrella terms for the institution that runs...
on the Kew side of the river and the former Grand Junction Waterworks Company
Grand Junction Waterworks Company
The Grand Junction Waterworks Company was a utility company supplying water to parts of west London in England. The company was formed as an off-shoot of the Grand Junction Canal Company in 1811 and became part of the publicly-owned Metropolitan Water Board in 1903.-Origins:The company was created...
buildings (now Kew Bridge Steam Museum
Kew Bridge Steam Museum
Kew Bridge Steam Museum houses a museum of water supply and a collection of water pumping steam engines. The museum is an Anchor Point of ERIH, The European Route of Industrial Heritage...
) on the north.
The bridge forms the connection between the South Circular
A205 road
The A205 or South Circular Road is a direct route which crosses South London, UK, running from Woolwich in the east to the junction of the A406 , the M4 and the A4 at Gunnersbury in the west....
and North Circular
A406 road
The A406 or the North Circular Road is a road which crosses North London, UK, linking West and East London. It, together with the South Circular Road, forms a ring road through the inner part of Outer London...
roads to the west of London, and is nearly always very congested.
Beside the bridge on the downstream Kew bank is Kew Gardens Pier
Kew Gardens Pier
Kew Gardens Pier is a pier on the River Thames, in London, United Kingdom. It is situated close to Kew Gardens and Kew Bridge.-Services:The pier is served by boats operated by Westminster Passenger Services Association, under licence from London River Services. Services operate to Westminster Pier...
, which serves tourist ferries operating under license from London River Services
London River Services
London River Services is a division of Transport for London , which manages passenger transport on the River Thames in London, UK. They do not own or operate any boats but license the services of other operators...
.
History
- (Taken from notes from small centenary display at Richmond Museum October 2003)
Richmond Museum has an engraving by John Barnard
John Barnard
John Barnard is a race car designer and is currently working alongside Terence Woodgate designing high specification carbon fibre furniture....
, architect of the design for the first Kew Bridge, dedicated to George, Prince of Wales
George III of the United Kingdom
George III was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland from 25 October 1760 until the union of these two countries on 1 January 1801, after which he was King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland until his death...
and his mother Augusta and dated 1759. Bernard describes it as the Bridge over the River of Thames from Kew in the County of Surry to the opposite shore in the County of Middlesex. Kew and the area around the bridge was significant to George as his father Frederick
Frederick, Prince of Wales
Frederick, Prince of Wales was a member of the House of Hanover and therefore of the Hanoverian and later British Royal Family, the eldest son of George II and father of George III, as well as the great-grandfather of Queen Victoria...
took a lease on Kew House, now part of the Royal Botanic Gardens from 1731 and rebuilt the house to designs by William Kent
William Kent
William Kent , born in Bridlington, Yorkshire, was an eminent English architect, landscape architect and furniture designer of the early 18th century.He was baptised as William Cant.-Education:...
. George's mother Augusta started the botanic gardens and created many of the garden buildings.
The first bridge was built by Robert Tunstall of Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
who previously owned the ferry on the site. The bridge was inaugurated on 1 June 1759 by the Prince of Wales driving over it with his mother and a number of other royals, and was opened to the public 3 days later. Such was the excitement that over 3,000 people crossed in one day. Tolls ranged from 1 penny
Penny
A penny is a coin or a type of currency used in several English-speaking countries. It is often the smallest denomination within a currency system.-Etymology:...
for each pedestrian to 1 shilling
Shilling
The shilling is a unit of currency used in some current and former British Commonwealth countries. The word shilling comes from scilling, an accounting term that dates back to Anglo-Saxon times where it was deemed to be the value of a cow in Kent or a sheep elsewhere. The word is thought to derive...
and six pence for a coach and four horses.
The first bridge was constructed with two stone arches at each end and 7 timber arches in between, which proved costly to maintain and as a consequence the bridge only lasted 30 years. In 1782 Robert Tunstall, son of the builder of the first bridge, obtained consent to replace the bridge and work began on 4 June 1783, the anniversary date of the first bridge opening to the public. The new bridge was designed by James Paine who had previously been responsible for Richmond Bridge
Richmond Bridge, London
Richmond Bridge is an 18th-century stone arch bridge in south west London, England, which was designed by James Paine and Kenton Couse, and which crosses the River Thames at Richmond, connecting the two halves of the present-day London Borough of Richmond upon Thames.The bridge, which is a Grade...
. The cost was £16,500 which was raised by means of a tontine
Tontine
A tontine is an investment scheme for raising capital, devised in the 17th century and relatively widespread in the 18th and 19th. It combines features of a group annuity and a lottery. Each subscriber pays an agreed sum into the fund, and thereafter receives an annuity. As members die, their...
.
The second bridge was built alongside the first, to avoid hindrance to traffic during construction work, and this time was built entirely of stone. It was again opened, on 22 September 1789, by George, who by this time had become King George III, crossing with a great concourse of carriages. The tolls were a half penny per pedestrian and 6 pence for each horse. The bridge was sold by auction to a Mr Robinson for £23,000 in 1819 and again in 1873, when it was purchased by a joint committee of the City of London Corporation and the Metropolitan Board of Works
Metropolitan Board of Works
The Metropolitan Board of Works was the principal instrument of London-wide government from 1855 until the establishment of the London County Council in 1889. Its principal responsibility was to provide infrastructure to cope with London's rapid growth, which it successfully accomplished. The MBW...
for £57,300. The exhibition included a copy of a J.M.W. Turner sketch of the second bridge from Brentford Ait
Brentford Ait
Brentford Ait is a long uninhabited ait in the River Thames. It is on the Tideway near Brentford, in the Borough of Hounslow, London, England....
circa 1805/6 with barges on the left.
The tollbooths were at the Brentford end of the bridge and were originally planned as pavilions with Doric
Doric order
The Doric order was one of the three orders or organizational systems of ancient Greek or classical architecture; the other two canonical orders were the Ionic and the Corinthian.-History:...
portico
Portico
A portico is a porch leading to the entrance of a building, or extended as a colonnade, with a roof structure over a walkway, supported by columns or enclosed by walls...
s. To save on the cost rather simpler Italianate booths were built instead of brick
Brick
A brick is a block of ceramic material used in masonry construction, usually laid using various kinds of mortar. It has been regarded as one of the longest lasting and strongest building materials used throughout history.-History:...
and stucco
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
. Tolls were abolished on 8 February 1873 and a triumphal arch was built at the Brentford entrance to the bridge. The gates were removed and paraded on a brewer’s dray through Brentford and around Kew Green.
The Kew Bridge Act of 1898 paved the way and the third bridge was commissioned jointly by the Middlesex
Middlesex
Middlesex is one of the historic counties of England and the second smallest by area. The low-lying county contained the wealthy and politically independent City of London on its southern boundary and was dominated by it from a very early time...
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...
County Councils at a cost of £250,000. The engineers were Barry and Cuthbert A Brereton and the building contractors were Easton Gibbs and Son. The third bridge is 1,182 feet (360 m) long, and the largest of its three arches has a span of 133 feet (41 m). The roadway is 56 feet (17 m) wide (compared to 18 feet (5 m) on the second bridge), and the pavements 9 feet 6 inches (3 m) compared to 3 feet 3 inches (1 m). It was built of granite
Granite
Granite is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, felsic, igneous rock. Granite usually has a medium- to coarse-grained texture. Occasionally some individual crystals are larger than the groundmass, in which case the texture is known as porphyritic. A granitic rock with a porphyritic...
from Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
.
A temporary wooden bridge was put in place upstream of the second bridge before demolition during October to December 1899. The third bridge was completed for an official opening on 20 May 1903 by King Edward VII
Edward VII of the United Kingdom
Edward VII was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions and Emperor of India from 22 January 1901 until his death in 1910...
and Queen Alexandra
Alexandra of Denmark
Alexandra of Denmark was the wife of Edward VII of the United Kingdom...
who processed through Kensington
Kensington
Kensington is a district of west and central London, England within the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. An affluent and densely-populated area, its commercial heart is Kensington High Street, and it contains the well-known museum district of South Kensington.To the north, Kensington is...
, Hammersmith
Hammersmith
Hammersmith is an urban centre in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in west London, England, in the United Kingdom, approximately five miles west of Charing Cross on the north bank of the River Thames...
, Chiswick
Chiswick
Chiswick is a large suburb of west London, England and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located on a meander of the River Thames, west of Charing Cross and is one of 35 major centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically an ancient parish in the county of Middlesex, with...
and Brentford
Brentford
Brentford is a suburban town in west London, England, and part of the London Borough of Hounslow. It is located at the confluence of the River Thames and the River Brent, west-southwest of Charing Cross. Its former ceremonial county was Middlesex.-Toponymy:...
on the way to the ceremony, returning via Mortlake
Mortlake
Mortlake is a district of London, England and part of the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It is on the south bank of the River Thames between Kew and Barnes with East Sheen inland to the south. Mortlake was part of Surrey until 1965.-History:...
and Barnes and re-crossing the Thames at Putney Bridge
Putney Bridge
Putney Bridge is a bridge crossing of the River Thames in west London, linking Putney on the south side with Fulham to the north. Putney Bridge tube station is located near the north side of the bridge.-History:...
.
The centre of the bridge was provided with a tented pavilion 60 yards long and spanning its whole width. A special temporary balcony, projecting from this, was installed so that the crowds on the banks and on the water could see the royal visitors. The King laid the last coping stone with a silver trowel and declared the bridge open. He and the Queen were given a number of gifts including bouquets, a bound history of the bridge and various other commemorative items including a silver mounted prehistoric flint axe found during construction work, another axe with part of its haft remaining and a fine silver spirit level made in the shape of the bridge itself. Later the Mayor of Richmond presented a chair with the ladders in its back carved in the shape of the three bridges. The inhabitants of Brentford and Chiswick presented a 1721 silver tankard.
After the departure of the royals a huge party took place on the lawns at Kew Gardens and 1,000 children were entertained to tea in a marquee on Kew Green, an event hosted by Cuthbert Brereton.