Finchale Bridge

Finchale Bridge
County Durham
Bridge at Finchale Priory
Location
Crossing:	River Wear
Location
Grid reference:	NZ29654721
Location:	54°49’8"N, 1°32’24"W
Structure
History
	Built 1937
Information

Finchale Bridge is a steel footbridge crossing the River Wear in County Durham, giving access to Finchale Priory, a ruined monastery on the south bank of the river.

Finhale Priory has been reckoned to be the most important monastic site in the county outside Durham itself, and stand within a loop of the River Wear.

The bridge is in a delightful setting, amongst and away from modern developments that affect much of the river. It was once a toll bridge (until the 1970s), built in 1937 to replace a ferry and stepping stones. There may have been an earlier bridge on the same piers. From Finchale Priory on the south bank it leads up steep steps up to the road above. The bridge is quite a long one, a beam, steel girder construction on four concrete/stone piers, and gives fine views of the river and there are footpaths along the river bank.

References

• Finchale Bridge: BridgesOnTheTyne