Trent Bridge (bridge)
Encyclopedia
Trent Bridge is an iron and stone road bridge across the River Trent
River Trent
The River Trent is one of the major rivers of England. Its source is in Staffordshire on the southern edge of Biddulph Moor. It flows through the Midlands until it joins the River Ouse at Trent Falls to form the Humber Estuary, which empties into the North Sea below Hull and Immingham.The Trent...

 in Nottingham
Nottingham
Nottingham is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England. It is located in the ceremonial county of Nottinghamshire and represents one of eight members of the English Core Cities Group...

, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. It is the principal river crossing for entrance to the city from the south, although the upstream Clifton Bridge
Clifton Bridge (Nottingham)
Clifton Bridge is a road bridge spanning the River Trent and carrying the A52 road to the west of the city of Nottingham, in the county of Nottinghamshire, UK.It was completed and opened to traffic in March 1958 and is constructed of pre-stressed concrete...

 is both larger and busier.

Medieval bridge

The first bridge is thought to have been constructed on the site in 920. A second bridge which was started in 1156 had more than 20 stone arches and a chapel dedicated to St. James at one end. It was maintained by a religious organisation. On 21 February 1551 the responsibility for repair passed to Nottingham Corporation, through a Royal Charter which created the Bridge Estate.

It was known as Hethbeth bridge, Heath-beth bridge, or Heck-beck bridge.

This bridge was damaged by floods several times, and the northern half was washed away in 1683. The repaired bridge had fifteen arches across the river and flood areas, giving openings covering 347ft in a total length of 538ft. Although it was repaired, the foundations had become unsafe and a project to replace it was started in the 1860s.

Current bridge

The bridge was designed by Marriott Ogle Tarbotton
Marriott Ogle Tarbotton
Marriott Ogle Tarbotton was born in Leeds on 6 December 1834 and died in Nottingham on 6 March 1887. He was Borough Engineer for Nottingham from 1859.-Career:...

. Construction started in 1868 and was completed in 1871 by Derbyshire iron maker, Andrew Handyside
Andrew Handyside
Andrew Handyside and Company was an iron founder in Derby, England in the nineteenth century.-Biography:Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1805, Handyside worked in his uncle Charles Baird's engineering business in St. Petersburg before taking over the Brittania Foundry in 1848...

. The general contractor was Benton and Woodiwiss of Derby. It was completed for a cost of £30,000 (£ as of ).

There were three main cast iron arch spans each 100ft braced by wrought iron girders. The width between the parapets was 40ft.

The new Trent Bridge formed part of a series of works along the banks of the river to improve flood defences by the construction of stepped, stone embankments.

A couple of arches from the old bridge are still preserved on the south bank of the river near the crossing. See these remains on Google Street View.

Between 1924 and 1926 the bridge was widened to 80ft by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company
The Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company is a renowned bridge building and structural engineering company based in Darlington, England. It has been involved in many major projects including the Victoria Falls Bridge and the Humber Bridge.-History:...

.

Bridge Estate

The Bridge Estate was created by a Royal Charter of King Edward VI on 21 February 1551 with Nottingham Corporation as Trustee. The objective was to provide funds to maintain and repair the Bridge.

In 1882 the funds exceed the requirement of the objective, and three new objectives were agreed:
  • Provide for the efficient maintenance and repair of Trent Bridge and the approaches to it.
  • To set up a contingency fund for the possible construction of such new bridge or bridges over the River Trent as may be found necessary or desirable.
  • The residue of such income is to be applied as the Trustee thinks best for the improvement of the City of Nottingham and the public benefit of its inhabitants.


In 1945 the Bridge Estate was registered as Charity 220716 with the Charity Commissioners.
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