Old Walton Bridge

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The Old Walton Bridge is the name given to the first of five bridges that were built across the River Thames at Walton-on-Thames in Surrey, England. The wooden bridge was completed in 1750 and stood until 1783 when it was dismantled to make way for a brickwork replacement.

[edit] History

Construction of the bridge by a Mr White of Weybridge was started in 1748 and was completed in 1750. The construction was paid for by Samuel Dicker who was the MP for Plymouth. By paying for its construction Dicker also obtained the right to collect tolls from users of the bridge. There were some objections to the construction of the bridge from the ferry operators, who thought it would impact their livelihoods; the bargees who thought it would make the river unnavigable; and residents of Walton-on-Thames who were worried about an influx of undesirable elements from north of the river. Despite the opposition, Dicker pressed on with construction, probably motivated by his own desire for easy access to London and for the financial benefits the tolls would bring.

The design of the bridge was by William Etheridge who also designed the smaller but similar Mathematical Bridge across the River Cam at Queens' College, Cambridge. First constructed between 1749 and 1750, this bridge still stands, although it has been rebuilt twice, most recently in 1905 [1]. The Old Walton Bridge was supported by four central stone piers connected by three arches built of wooden beams and joists. The span of the central arch was 130 feet (39 m), at the time the widest unsupported span in England. The other two main arches were each 44 feet (13 m). Away from the water there were five further small brickwork arches on each side of the river.

Although considered an impressive feat of engineering at the time of its construction, the bridge stood for only 33 years. Dicker died in 1760 and his estates in the area were sold. The bridge passed to his nephew, Michael Dicker Sanders, but he found it difficult to meet the costs of its upkeep. A report on the condition of the bridge in 1778 suggested that decay in the wooden frame made it unsuitable for use, and it was dismantled in 1783 to make way for a brickwork bridge which was completed in 1788 and eventually collapsed in 1859.

[edit] Canaletto's painting

Canaletto spent time in England between 1746 and 1755, mostly in London, but in 1754 he travelled out to Walton to paint the bridge. Normally the figures populating his landscapes were anonymous, but his painting of the bridge is unusual because the identities of several of the figures are known. In the centre of the painting on the near bank, two figures can be seen standing together; to the left is Thomas Hollis who commissioned the painting from Canaletto, and almost certainly requested that he be included. To Hollis' right is Thomas Brand, his lifelong friend and heir. Further to the right, dressed in colourful livery, is Hollis' servant, Francesco Giovannini, and at the feet of Hollis is his dog, Malta. Seated a little distance from the central group on the left (with a cow looking over his shoulder) is an artist thought to be Canaletto himself.

Samuel Dicker's house at Mount Felix can be seen in the rear of the picture to the left of the bridge. In the river a ship is lowering its sail in order to pass under the bridge. With the towering storm clouds forming above the bridge, Canaletto contrasts the forces of nature with the work of engineering below.

[edit] References

• Graham Tilly (2002). Conservation of Bridges: A Guide to Good Practice. Spon Press, 416. ISBN 0419259104. 
• Old Walton Bridge. BBC (2007). Retrieved on 14 February 2007.
• Old Walton Bridge. Queens' College Cambridge. Retrieved on 14 February 2007.
• Emil Kren and Daniel Marx. Canaletto: Old Walton Bridge. Web Gallery of Art. Retrieved on 14 February 2007.
• Colin Bentley (2007). Walton Bridge - The first bridge. Surrey County Council. Retrieved on 14 February 2007.