St George's Bridge
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- Not to be confused with St. Georges Bridge (Delaware).
St George's Bridge was a bridge over the River Severn in Shrewsbury. 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 Welsh Bridge however was built about 80 yards 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 Shrewsbury and Atcham Borough Council. In 2004, the council installed an information board about the history of the bridge and Mardol, at the bottom of Mardol.
St 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.
New discoveries at Frankwell site
See also:
