Gunthorpe Bridge

Gunthorpe Bridge
Photo of New Gunthorpe Bridge
Coordinates	52°59′10″N 0°59′15″W / 52.9862°N 0.9874°W / 52.9862; -0.9874Coordinates: 52°59′10″N 0°59′15″W / 52.9862°N 0.9874°W / 52.9862; -0.9874
Crosses	River Trent
Characteristics
Longest span	38.1 metres (125 ft)
History
Opened	Old Bridge c1925. New Bridge c1927.

Gunthorpe Bridge is a bridge over the River Trent at Gunthorpe, Nottinghamshire.

History

Until 1875, the only way to cross the river was by ferry, or ford.

The Gunthorpe Bridge Company was formed in the 1870s to build the bridge. A capital of £7,500 (equivalent to $650,000 in 2015),^[1] was raised in £10 shares. The foundation stone was laid in 1873 and the bridge opened in 1875. It was built largely in iron.

The tolls were:

• horse and carriage 1/-,
• horse and wagon 6d,
• horse alone 3d,
• people and passengers 1d,
• motorcycles 3d,
• cars 1/-
• lorries 2/6,

The Nottinghamshire County Council (Gunthorpe Bridge) Act 1925 empowered Nottinghamshire County Council to buy out the owners, demolish the bridge and replace it with the present one.

The current bridge is a three span, reinforced concrete arch bridge. It was built in 1927. The central arch spans 38.1 metres. The two side arches span 30.9 metres. Each of the three arches contains four ribs.^[2]

References