Corbridge Bridge
Bridge in Northumberland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Corbridge Bridge is a 17th-century stone bridge across the River Tyne at Corbridge, Northumberland, England.
Corbridge Bridge | |
|---|---|
Corbridge Bridge | |
| Coordinates | 54.9722°N 2.0188°W |
| OS grid reference | NY988641 |
| Carries | B6321 |
| Crosses | River Tyne |
| Locale | Northumberland |
| Heritage status | Grade I listed[1] |
| Preceded by | Hexham Bridge |
| Followed by | Styford Bridge |
| Characteristics | |
| Material | Stone |
| Total length | 480 ft (146 m)[2] |
| No. of spans | 7 |
| Load limit | 7.5 t |
| No. of lanes | Single-track road controlled by traffic lights |
| History | |
| Construction end | 1674 |
| Opened | 1674 |
| Location | |
 Interactive map of Corbridge Bridge | |
The bridge used to carry the A68 road over the River Tyne, but since the opening of the Hexham bypass (A69) the A68 now crosses by the Styford Bridge, 3 miles (5 km) downstream of Corbridge. It is listed as a Grade I listed building by Historic England.[1]
History
The bridge at Corbridge was built in 1235.[3] In 1298 royal officers went to Corbridge to purchase horseshoes and nails, and the tariff imposed to raise money for upkeep of the medieval bridge included tolls on nails of different kinds, horseshoes, cartwheel-sheaths, griddles, iron cauldrons and vats. The bridge was the great asset of the town. Described in 1306 as the only bridge between Newcastle and Carlisle, it was maintained also as a link between England and Scotland.[4] In 1674 [Fraser[4] has 1690] it was replaced by the seven-arched bridge we see today.[3] So well did the builder of this bridge execute his contract that his was the only one on the Tyne to withstand the Great Flood of 1771.[4][5] In 1881 it was widened by 3 ft (1 m) but its appearance was not spoilt.[3]
