London's Bridges

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Introduction

London's Bridges, series of bridges that cross the River Thames in London. Included in this are 20 road bridges and 9 rail bridges crossing the Thames between Hampton Court, in south-west London, and the Tower of London. Many of the bridges in London were either built or replaced during the Victorian era, owing mainly to the massive expansion in the population of the city during the 19th century. In 1800 the population of London was around 1 million, but by 1881 it had soared to 4.5 million, mainly spreading to the east and west of the City of London. For this reason, and the increased volumes of road traffic due to the introduction of public horse-drawn omnibuses, a number of bridges were built, and some old ones rebuilt.

From west to east, some of the major bridges in the central area of London are listed below:

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Hammersmith Bridge

Hammersmith Bridge connects Barnes and Hammersmith in west London. It was built in 1827 and was the first suspension bridge in London. Soon after its completion, an identical bridge was built in Budapest. St Paul’s School is situated nearby on the southern bank of the river. Hammersmith Bridge was closed in 1997 in order to fix structural problems caused by the weight of traffic, which the bridge was not originally designed to support, and was eventually reopened in 1999. It has been the target of three terrorist bomb attacks; in 1939, the largest IRA bomb ever discovered on the mainland in 1996, and in 2000, temporarily closing the bridge again less than a year after it had reopened.

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Battersea Bridge

Battersea Bridge connects Battersea and Chelsea and was built between 1886 and 1890, replacing the original wooden bridge that has been depicted in paintings by James Whistler and J. M. W. Turner. The first bridge to span the Thames at Battersea was designed by Henry Holland and replaced the existing ferry service between Battersea and Chelsea. It was completed in 1771 but was eventually deemed dangerous for boats after many vessels collided with the piers, and so was demolished in 1881. The present bridge was designed by Sir Joseph Bazalgette and has five cast-iron arches. Battersea Bridge was completely refurbished and strengthened with the addition of new ornamental lanterns in 1995.

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Albert Bridge

Albert Bridge, connecting Battersea and Chelsea, was constructed in 1873 and was designed by R. M. Ordish, and named after Prince Albert. It is a hybrid cantilever-suspension bridge and its ornamental towers are made of cast iron, with 16 wrought-iron bars radiating from the top to support the road deck. In 1973 a central support was added to cope with modern traffic levels. The pastel shades and the elegant lines of Albert Bridge make it one of the most beautiful of all the road bridges that span the River Thames, and it is illuminated at night.