St George's Bridge
Encyclopedia
St George's Bridge was a bridge over the River Severn
in Shrewsbury
, England
; so named as it was close to St. George's Hospital. It connected Frankwell
, an old suburb of the town, to the town centre via Mardol
. The gate on the town side was called Mardol Gate and is located where the Mardol Quay Gardens are. The gate on the other side was called Welsh Gate or St George's Gate. The bridge, sometimes now known as the Old Welsh Bridge, was demolished in 1795 and was replaced with the Welsh Bridge
.
The bridge's date of construction is believed to have been about 1262. In 1539 John Leland described it as follows:
The bridge was variously described as Walshebrugge (in 1336), and Walshemanne's brigge (in 1351). A public convenience was built on it in about 1496 . One span was a timber drawbridge
, while several shops had been built near the middle of the bridge. It is recorded that one tower was still in existence until late in the bridge's life. Above the main tower was a statue of , removed in 1791.
The Welsh Bridge
however was built about 80 yards (73m) further downstream, connecting Barker Street (at what was Cripple Lode Gate) with Frankwell. This bridge remains to the day and still carries traffic over the Severn. The section of Barker Street which is on the bridge end has been called Bridge Street since the building of the new bridge.
Only one dry arch of the old St George's Bridge now remains, on the Frankwell side. The site where it is located is set to be developed into the new theatre being built by Shropshire Council
. In 2004, the council installed an information board about the history of the bridge and Mardol, at the bottom of Mardol.
Saint George
is the patron saint
of England
. It is also given to the (CofE
) church in Frankwell, which is within walking distance of the Welsh Bridge/site of St George's Bridge.
River Severn
The River Severn is the longest river in Great Britain, at about , but the second longest on the British Isles, behind the River Shannon. It rises at an altitude of on Plynlimon, Ceredigion near Llanidloes, Powys, in the Cambrian Mountains of mid Wales...
in Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury
Shrewsbury is the county town of Shropshire, in the West Midlands region of England. Lying on the River Severn, it is a civil parish home to some 70,000 inhabitants, and is the primary settlement and headquarters of Shropshire Council...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; so named as it was close to St. George's Hospital. It connected Frankwell
Frankwell
Frankwell is a district of the town of Shrewsbury, in Shropshire, England. It lies adjacent to the River Severn, to the northwest of the town centre, and is one of Shrewsbury's oldest suburbs....
, an old suburb of the town, to the town centre via Mardol
Mardol (street)
Mardol is a historic street in Shrewsbury, Shropshire with a variety of architectural styles, ranging from Tudor timber-framed buildings to more modern constructs...
. The gate on the town side was called Mardol Gate and is located where the Mardol Quay Gardens are. The gate on the other side was called Welsh Gate or St George's Gate. The bridge, sometimes now known as the Old Welsh Bridge, was demolished in 1795 and was replaced with the Welsh Bridge
Welsh Bridge
The Welsh Bridge is a masonry arch viaduct in the town of Shrewsbury, England which crosses the River Severn. It connects Frankwell with the town centre. It is a Listed Building, Grade II*....
.
The bridge's date of construction is believed to have been about 1262. In 1539 John Leland described it as follows:
... the greatest, fayrest and highest upon the streame is the Welsh Bridge having 6 great Arches of Stone, soe called because it is the Way out of the Towne into Walles. This Bridge standeth on the West Syde of the Towne, and hath at the one End of it a great Gate to enter by into the Towne, and at the other End towardes Wales a might strong Towre to prohibit Enimies to enter into the Bridge.
The bridge was variously described as Walshebrugge (in 1336), and Walshemanne's brigge (in 1351). A public convenience was built on it in about 1496 . One span was a timber drawbridge
Drawbridge
A drawbridge is a type of movable bridge typically associated with the entrance of a castle surrounded by a moat. The term is often used to describe all different types of movable bridges, like bascule bridges and lift bridges.-Castle drawbridges:...
, while several shops had been built near the middle of the bridge. It is recorded that one tower was still in existence until late in the bridge's life. Above the main tower was a statue of , removed in 1791.
The Welsh Bridge
Welsh Bridge
The Welsh Bridge is a masonry arch viaduct in the town of Shrewsbury, England which crosses the River Severn. It connects Frankwell with the town centre. It is a Listed Building, Grade II*....
however was built about 80 yards (73m) further downstream, connecting Barker Street (at what was Cripple Lode Gate) with Frankwell. This bridge remains to the day and still carries traffic over the Severn. The section of Barker Street which is on the bridge end has been called Bridge Street since the building of the new bridge.
Only one dry arch of the old St George's Bridge now remains, on the Frankwell side. The site where it is located is set to be developed into the new theatre being built by Shropshire Council
Shropshire Council
Shropshire Council is a unitary authority in Shropshire, United Kingdom.It replaced the former two-tier local government structure in the non-metropolitan county of Shropshire on 1 April 2009, which involved its immediate predecessor, Shropshire County Council, and five non-metropolitan districts -...
. In 2004, the council installed an information board about the history of the bridge and Mardol, at the bottom of Mardol.
Saint George
Saint George
Saint George was, according to tradition, a Roman soldier from Syria Palaestina and a priest in the Guard of Diocletian, who is venerated as a Christian martyr. In hagiography Saint George is one of the most venerated saints in the Catholic , Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, and the Oriental Orthodox...
is the patron saint
Patron saint
A patron saint is a saint who is regarded as the intercessor and advocate in heaven of a nation, place, craft, activity, class, clan, family, or person...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is also given to the (CofE
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
) church in Frankwell, which is within walking distance of the Welsh Bridge/site of St George's Bridge.