Hexham Old Bridge

Hexham Old Bridge was an 18th-century stone bridge across the River Tyne at Hexham, Northumberland, England, and was located about 1 mile (2 km) upstream of the present Hexham Bridge.

History

The Tyne was crossed by two ferries called the east (at the location of the present bridge) and the west boats (Warden Bridge). As a result of persistent agitation a bridge was started in 1767 and completed in 1770. A map of 1769 by W. Armstrong shows the bridge to the west of Hexham close by the present Old Bridge End farm. It was built by a Mr. Gait and consisted of seven arches. Less than a year later it was swept away in the great Tyne flood of 1771. In that flood eight bridges shared the fate of Hexham. In 1774 a new attempt was made fifty yards to the west by Mr. Wooler, an engineer who had been working on the new Newcastle bridge. Piles were sunk to carry the piers but work was abandoned on discovering that the "soil beneath the gravel was a quicksand with no more resistance than chaff".^[1]

The later bridges were built downstream at Hexham Bridge. The authorities approached Smeaton whose name as an engineer was famous. John Errington of Beaufront was given the contract for the sum of £5,700 and work started in 1777. Although the half completed piers were washed away the following year work continued and the new bridge was opened to traffic in 1780 [others^[2] give 1781]. However on March 10, 1782 there was a heavy fall of snow, followed by a violent hurricane. The valleys of the north and south Tyne were inundated and the nine arches were completely overturned. They are still visible and act as a sort of weir. Robert Mylne, a famous architect and engineer, was called in to report on the feasibility of rebuilding Smeaton's bridge. He was eventually given the contract to build a fourth bridge and the work was completed in 1793. Today that handsome, bridge still stands as a monument to his genius.

Nothing remains today of Hexham Old Bridge but the name continues as the name of the adjacent farm: Old Bridge End (grid reference NY929653).

References

External links