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List of bridges in Cambridge

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The following is a list and brief history of the bridges in Cambridge, England, principally those over the River Cam of which there are 25, soon to be 26.

The River Cam enters Cambridge from the south west of the city and heads north past many of the historic colleges of the University of Cambridge along the open area known as The Backs. After passing St John's College, it turns sharply and runs east, passing the weir at Jesus Green and the boathouses alongside Midsummer Common. Passing Chesterton, it turns north again and leaves the city, running a further 12 mi (19 km) before merging with the Great Ouse at Pope's Corner to the south of Ely.

Bridges over the River Cam (south to north) edit

Upper River (upstream of mill pond weir) edit

Trumpington Bridge (1790) edit

The most upstream bridge in Cambridge (UK Parliament constituency) lies along Grantchester Road between Grantchester and Trumpington.[1] Also known as Brasel Bridge, this 1790 brick bridge replaced a wooden bridge at the site of a ford.[2]

Sheep's Green Footbridge (1910) edit

Links Coe Fen behind The Leys School over a second small bridge to Lammas Land, near the area known as Hobson's Paradise. Also known as Sheep's Green bridge, it was closed in the second quarter of 2006 to replace the steps with ramps to make it easier for cyclists and prams to cross. The bridge decking was also replaced.map 1

Fen Causeway Bridge (1926) edit

The first road bridge that is reached as the river enters the city. The road was formally opened on 9 December 1926.[3]map 2

Crusoe Bridge (1898–99) edit

A steel footbridge with timber deck and supported on four cast-iron columns,[4] linking Sheep's Green and Coe Fen, and the final bridge on the 'Upper River' before it reaches the small weir at the mill pond.map 3

Middle River (between mill pond weir and Jesus Green weir) edit

Darwin College Bridges edit

Two wooden bridges within the college grounds connecting the main site with the college's two islands.map 4

Silver Street Bridge (1958) edit

The site of bridges back to the 14th century, a cast iron bridge was built in 1843 but increasing heavy traffic led to a 1913 survey that determined the need for a new bridge. Repairs, however, allowed the bridge to last for a further 40 years. The present wide bridge, clad in Portland stone was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens in 1932 and built in 1958–9.[5]map 5

Mathematical Bridge, Queens' College (1902) edit

 
The Mathematical Bridge

This is the third version of the design, first built in 1749.map 6

 
Cambridge University, Mathematical Bridge, Queen's College

King's College Bridge (1819) edit

The first bridge on the site was built in the 15th century, but situated around 20 metres to the north, and was rebuilt several times before moving to the present incarnation in 1819, designed by William Wilkins and built by Francis Braidwood.map 7

Clare College Bridge (1640) edit

 
Clare College Bridge

The oldest of Cambridge's current bridges, this bridge in classical style was built in 1639–40 by Thomas Grumbold (d.1659)[6] It is one of two bridges left standing by the Parliamentarian forces in the Civil War (the other being the Great Bridge, a wooden bridge which has since been destroyed) when Cromwell used the stone from other bridges to refortify Cambridge Castle. Many different stories are told to explain the missing section of the globe second from the left on the south side of the bridge. One rumour is that the builder of the bridge received (what he considered to be) insufficient payment, and in his anger, removed a segment of the globe; another is that complete bridges were subject to a tax at the time it was built, and the missing segment made the bridge incomplete and hence untaxed.map 8

 
Cambridge University, Bridge, Clare College

Garret Hostel Bridge (1960) edit

At least the eighth bridge on this site on Garret Hostel Lane between the colleges of Trinity and Trinity Hall. The current design is by Timothy Guy Morgan, who at the time was an undergraduate student at Jesus College, after an open competition. Morgan died in 1960, before the bridge was completed. It was one of the first post-tensioned concrete bridges in the country.map 9 Known to students locally as “orgasm bridge”.[7]

Trinity College Bridge (1764) edit

Designed by James Essex, it replaced a stone bridge built in 1651, which in turn replaced a stone bridge pulled down in 1643 by Cromwellian soldiers as a defence during the English Civil War.map 10 It is a Grade I listed building.[8]

 
Cambridge University, Trinity Bridge
 
Cambridge University, Bridge, Trinity College

Kitchen Bridge, St John's College (1709–11) edit

 
Cambridge University, St. John's College from Kitchen Bridge with the Bridge of Sighs to the right

Also known as St John's Old Bridge.[9] The second oldest of Cambridge's remaining bridges, built by Robert Grumbold (1639–1720) according to designs by Sir Christopher Wren. The bridge was crafted from a single block of limestone, carved to give the appearance of masonry. map 11

Bridge of Sighs, St John's College (1831) edit

 
The Bridge of Sighs

Also known as New Court Bridge,[9] it is probably Cambridge's best-known bridge, designed by Henry Hutchinson and based on a similarly named bridge in Venice, although the only real similarity between them is that they are both covered bridges over waterways.map 12. A bridge in Oxford, also nicknamed "The Bridge of Sighs" but more reminiscent of the Rialto Bridge, links two sites of Hertford College, but it bridges New College Lane rather than a river or canal.

Magdalene Bridge (1823) edit

 
Magdalene Bridge viewed from the boardwalk near Quayside, with the tower of St John's College New Court in the background.

Named after Magdalene College, which stands nearby. It is very close to the location of the Roman ford (around 50 AD), and the location of the first Roman bridge in Cambridge (probably re-built by Offa in the 8th century).map 13

The latest bridge was designed by Arthur Browne in Gothic revival style and was rebuilt in the same style in 1982.

Lower River (downstream of Jesus Green weir) edit

Jesus Lock footbridge (1892) edit

An iron bridge over the weir that divides the 'Middle River' from the 'Lower River', where punting gives way to rowing.map 14

Victoria Bridge (1890) edit

Allowed the residents of Chesterton easy access to the city for the first time. The foundation stone was laid by Frederic Wace, mayor of Cambridge, on 4 November 1889 and the bridge was officially opened by Wace on 11 December 1890.[3] The bridge was rebuilt for strengthening in 1992.map 15

Fort St George footbridge, Midsummer Common (1927) edit

Named after the Fort St George pub near its southern end, the site was previously home to a ferry that was "probably the busiest of all the river crossings, running from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m".[10] The bridge was built in 1927, and is now open for use by cyclists.map 16

Cutter Ferry Bridge (2005) edit

A pedestrian and cycle bridge that links Cutter Ferry Lane with Midsummer Common. The original footbridge was closed in 2003 after over 75 years of service, and removed during December 2004. The replacement, over which cyclists may legally cycle, was opened on 20 May 2005.map 17

Also known by Cambridge residents as Pye's Bridge because of the one-time nearby Pye electronics factory, and by student rowers as Emma Bridge because of its proximity to Emmanuel College Boathouse.[11]

Elizabeth Way Bridge (1971) edit

A plain four-lane concrete road bridge, opened by Lord Butler in his capacity as High Steward of Cambridge on 13 July 1971,[3] this is Cambridge's most recent road bridge. The opening caused a few minutes of embarrassment when Lord Butler's golden scissors failed to cut the ribbon across the road.map 18 The bridge forms part of Elizabeth Way (A1134).

Equiano Bridge (formerly Riverside Bridge) (2008) edit

 
Equiano Bridge

This foot and cycle bridge connects Chesterton and Riverside near the Museum of Technology.[12] Construction work began in April 2007, and the bridge opened to the public on 5 June 2008.[13] It cost £3.1 million and was partially funded by Tesco to provide increased access to its Newmarket Road store.[14] In 2022 it was renamed to honour writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano who had links to the Cambridge area.[15] map 18a

Green Dragon bridge, Stourbridge Common (1935) edit

Named after the Green Dragon pub opposite its northern end, the iron-arch bridge was built in 1935, causing the closure of the nearby Horse Grind and Pike & Eel ferries.[16] Also known to student rowers as 'Chesterton Footbridge' as it crosses over what they know as 'Chesterton Corner'.map 19

Railway Bridge edit

Crosses the river through east Chesterton, south of the A14 bridge. It is the third railway bridge to be built on this site, replacing a plain plate girder bridge which stood on the site between 1870 and 1930, which itself replaced a wooden bridge built in 1846.map 20

Abbey-Chesterton Bridge (2021) edit

 
The Abbey-Chesterton foot and cycle bridge in front of the railway bridge

The Abbey-Chesterton Bridge was installed on 8 November 2020[17] at Ditton Meadows,[18][19] immediately downstream (east) of the railway girder bridge. This bridge carries the Chisholm Trail over the River Cam. Estimated cost is £4.5 million. The Abbey-Chesterton Bridge was opened by Jim Chisholm at 13:30 on 23 December 2021.[20] map 20a

A14 Bridge edit

Known (incorrectly) to rowers and others as the "Motorway Bridge". Built as part of the 'Cambridge northern bypass', which opened in 1977,[21] the bridge crosses the river just south of Baits Bite Lock. This bridge is also sometimes referred to as “Bovis Bridge” or "Newnham Bridge".map 21

Footbridge over the weir, Baits Bite Lock edit

An elevated footbridge crosses Baits Bite Lock in Milton to a narrow islet. A concrete-arch footbridge then crosses the weir to the east bank near Horningsea.map 22

Other bridges edit

 
Deck of Jane Coston cycle bridge between Milton and Cambridge.
  • The Tony Carter bridge is a covered cycle bridge over the railway just north of Cambridge railway station opened in 1989. It was listed at the time in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's longest covered cycle bridge. It is named after a Labour councillor of the era.map 23
  • The Jane Coston bridge was opened over the A14 in 2004, allowing cyclists and pedestrians to cross from Cowley Road to Milton. It has a central span of 77 m (253 ft).[22]map 24. Jane Coston is a councillor who campaigned for 8 years for the bridge to be built.[23]
  • Coldham's Lane bridge is a cycle and pedestrian bridge over the railway on the south side of Coldham's Lane. It is not a particularly effective route for cyclists, especially those travelling south east.[24]map 25
  • The Newmarket Road Bridge,map 26 the Mill Road Bridgemap 27 near Cambridge Station, the Hills Road Bridgemap 28 and the Long Road Bridge are other bridges over the railway.map 29
  • Cambridgeshire Guided Busway: A14 bridge, Hills Road Bridge, Long Road Bridge, Shelford Road Bridge and Hauxton Road Bridge on former railway lines, plus a new Addenbrooke's Bridge leading over the railway line to the hospital.

See also edit

 
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Bridges across the River Cam.

Mapping edit

Map all coordinates using OpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

References edit

  1. ^ OpenStreetMap: Trumpington Ward
  2. ^ S.P. Widnall, A History of Grantchester in the County of Cambridge, pages 23 and 120
  3. ^ a b c Plaque on bridge
  4. ^ Cambridge Historic Core Appraisal - June 2006 - Coe Fen / Sheep’s Green
  5. ^ "Silver Street Bridge". Historic England.
  6. ^ About Clare: History from Clare College's website, retrieved 25 June 2007
  7. ^ Cox, Genevieve (24 September 2015). "How Cambridge got its name". Varsity Online. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Name: TRINITY COLLEGE, TRINITY BRIDGE List entry Number: 1331804". Historic England. Retrieved 13 April 2017.
  9. ^ a b Ordnance Survey. OS Maps Online (Map). 1:25,000. Leisure. Retrieved 8 January 2021.
  10. ^ "Fort St George". Capturing Cambridge.
  11. ^ Image of Cutter Ferry Bridge
  12. ^ People power is needed at bridge | Cambridge News | Latest News Headlines From Cambridge City & Cambridgeshire | National News | Cambridge News Archived 14 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ^ "Riverside foot and cycle bridge". Cambridgeshire County Council. Archived from the original on 18 April 2008. Retrieved 5 June 2008.
  14. ^ "Tale of Two Bridges". Geoff Jones. 5 June 2008. Retrieved 6 June 2012.
  15. ^ "City bridge to be renamed after writer and abolitionist Olaudah Equiano". Cambridge Independent. Cambridge. 27 October 2022. ISSN 2398-8959. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  16. ^ Chris Howes (2021). The River Great Ouse and its tributaries. Imray, Laurie, Norie and Wilson Ltd.
  17. ^ "Work begins on The Chisholm Trail & Abbey-Chesterton Bridge after contracts awarded". Greater Cambridge Partnership. Retrieved 4 May 2020.
  18. ^ "How the £13m Chisholm Trail will revolutionise Cambridge cycling". Archived from the original on 15 July 2015. Retrieved 15 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Abbey-Chesterton Bridge on the Chisholm Trail" (PDF). Cambridge Cycling Campaign. January 2015.
  20. ^ Gardner, Gemma (23 December 2021). "First stage of Chisholm Trail walking and cycling route across Cambridge opens". Cambridge Independent. Milton : Iliffe Media Ltd. ISSN 2398-8959. OCLC 1064919081. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
  21. ^ "Girton Interchange". Sabre Roads.
  22. ^ "Jane Coston Cycle bridge : a model for managing vibration". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. 2006.
  23. ^ "Jane Coston Cycle Bridge, Milton".
  24. ^ "Newsletter 56". Cambridge Cycling Campaign.
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