Cathedral Green Footbridge - Derby
Encyclopedia
The Cathedral Green Footbridge is a pedestrian & cycle swing bridge
in the centre of Derby
spanning the River Derwent
. It forms a third side to a triangle between The Cathedral
& the Silk Mill Museum
.
The bridge and adjacent re-landscaped Cathedral Green opened in March 2009 at a cost of £4.2m and is located in an area of World Heritage status. It links the Cathedral Green to Stuart Street and has been designed to swing to one side when water levels are high. It weighs 95 tonnes, with a box steel section deck, supported by three cables, keeping the overall structural slender. The bridge swings on a pintle bearing
, with a central wheel to support its weight.
Construction began in August 2007 and the Bridge opened to the public on March 20, 2009, then was officially opened on 2 April 2009, a year behind schedule, by the Mayor of Derby. The bridge designed by Ramboll, was partly inspired by tailor’s shears and has an iconic needle-shaped mast, to echo the heritage of the nearby Silk Mill. The silk theme of the needle is complemented by the nearby Saint Alkmunds Way Footbridge which includes silk bobbins as its design feature.
The Cathedral Green has landscaped gardens with a tiled pavement incorporating lighting effects, called The Mill Flume, designed by Nayan Kulkarni, that represents the path of the River took when it powered the water wheel of the Silk Mill. There is a statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie
as he was billeted near the site of the bridge during the Jacobite Rising in December 1745.
The bridge was a finalist in the Prime Minister's Award for better public buildings following its completion in 2009. The judges said they were impressed by the design allowing the bridge to be turned with only a small amount of energy. The bridge with its 38 degree kink is supported on the central wheel with a wheel system being used on the counterweighted section.
Swing bridge
A swing bridge is a movable bridge that has as its primary structural support a vertical locating pin and support ring, usually at or near to its centre of gravity, about which the turning span can then pivot horizontally as shown in the animated illustration to the right...
in the centre of Derby
Derby
Derby , is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands region of England. It lies upon the banks of the River Derwent and is located in the south of the ceremonial county of Derbyshire. In the 2001 census, the population of the city was 233,700, whilst that of the Derby Urban Area was 229,407...
spanning the River Derwent
River Derwent, Derbyshire
The Derwent is a river in the county of Derbyshire, England. It is 66 miles long and is a tributary of the River Trent which it joins south of Derby. For half its course, the river flows through the Peak District....
. It forms a third side to a triangle between The Cathedral
Derby Cathedral
The Cathedral of All Saints , is a cathedral church in the City of Derby, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Derby, and with an area of around is the smallest Anglican cathedral in England.-History:...
& the Silk Mill Museum
Derby Industrial Museum
Derby Silk Mill, formerly known as Derby Industrial Museum, is a museum of industry and history in Derby, England. The museum is housed in Lombe's Mill, a historic former silk mill which marks the southern end of the Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site. Between 1717 and 1721 George Sorocold...
.
The bridge and adjacent re-landscaped Cathedral Green opened in March 2009 at a cost of £4.2m and is located in an area of World Heritage status. It links the Cathedral Green to Stuart Street and has been designed to swing to one side when water levels are high. It weighs 95 tonnes, with a box steel section deck, supported by three cables, keeping the overall structural slender. The bridge swings on a pintle bearing
Gudgeon
A gudgeon is a circular fitting, often made of metal, which is affixed to a surface. It allows for the pivoting of another fixture. It is generally used with a pintle, which is a pin which pivots in the hole in the gudgeon. As such, a gudgeon is a simple bearing.-Winged gudgeons:A winged gudgeon...
, with a central wheel to support its weight.
Construction began in August 2007 and the Bridge opened to the public on March 20, 2009, then was officially opened on 2 April 2009, a year behind schedule, by the Mayor of Derby. The bridge designed by Ramboll, was partly inspired by tailor’s shears and has an iconic needle-shaped mast, to echo the heritage of the nearby Silk Mill. The silk theme of the needle is complemented by the nearby Saint Alkmunds Way Footbridge which includes silk bobbins as its design feature.
The Cathedral Green has landscaped gardens with a tiled pavement incorporating lighting effects, called The Mill Flume, designed by Nayan Kulkarni, that represents the path of the River took when it powered the water wheel of the Silk Mill. There is a statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
as he was billeted near the site of the bridge during the Jacobite Rising in December 1745.
The bridge was a finalist in the Prime Minister's Award for better public buildings following its completion in 2009. The judges said they were impressed by the design allowing the bridge to be turned with only a small amount of energy. The bridge with its 38 degree kink is supported on the central wheel with a wheel system being used on the counterweighted section.