Windsor Bridge

Windsor Bridge or Windsor Town Bridge, is a road bridge over the River Thames between the towns of Windsor and Eton in the English county of Berkshire. It now only carries pedestrian and cycle traffic, and crosses the Thames just above Romney Lock.

It is likely that the first bridge on this site was built in the 12th century AD. By 1172 it is recorded that Osbert de Bray derived over £4 from tolls levied on vessels passing beneath the bridge. In 1242, permission was granted for oak trees to be felled in Windsor Forest for the purpose of constructing a new bridge between Windsor and Eton. By 1819 the wooden bridge, presumably rebuilt many times over its life, had deteriorated and it was decided to build a new bridge in new materials.

Construction on the current bridge was started in 1822 and it opened on June 1, 1824. The bridge has three arches, each comprising seven cast iron segments, and supported in mid-stream by two granite piers.

Built as a road bridge, tolls were originally levied on traffic crossing the bridge. Following some protests and a case, The Mayor &c. of New Windsor and ano. v Joseph Taylor which went to Britain's highest court, the House of Lords, these tolls were scrapped in 1897. In the 20th century the bridge carried the A332, the busy main road between Slough and Windsor.

In 1970, cracks were discovered in some of the cast iron segments, and despite local protests it was decided to close the bridge to all vehicular traffic. All such traffic must now travel between Windsor and Eton via the Queen Elizabeth Bridge on Windsor's by-pass.

In 2002 the bridge was refurbished, with repairs to the structure and new parapets including integral lighting. The bridge deck was replaced using Yorkstone and seating areas provided. The bridge remains in use by pedestrians only and provides an excellent walking route from central Windsor to Eton's High Street, and a good viewing spot for both the river and Windsor Castle.

See also

• Crossings of the River Thames

References

• The Royal Windsor website. The Town Bridge, Windsor, 1824. Retrieved January 16, 2006.

• Windsor Berkshire website. Eton Bridge, Windsor. Retrieved March 17, 2010.