Warrington Bridge
| Warrington Bridge | |
| Lancashire, Cheshire | |
|---|---|
 Warrington Bridge | |
| Location | |
| Carrying: | A49 |
| Crossing: | River Mersey |
| Location | |
| Grid reference: | SJ60778782 |
| Location: | 53°23’9"N, 2°35’29"W |
| Structure | |
| History | |
| Built 1909–15 | |
| Information | |
Warrington Bridge is the original, main town bridge crossing the River Mersey in Warrington, Lancashire, crossing from the town centre on the Lancashire bank to the Cheshire suburbs gathered about the town. The current structure is the sixth to stand in this location and was constructed 1909–15 by Alfred Thorne & Sons.[1]
For centuries, Warrington Bridge provided the lowest crossing of the Mersey and thus was of strategic and commercial importance. The river is tidal up as far as the town and ships would sail unhindered by bridges over head. In the later twentieth century a few bridges have been built downstream, generally high above the river so as not to impede navigation.
The bridge is an elegant single-span construction, leaping over the river from the town centre and linked to it by way of Bridge Street. It is now one of a pair with the New Bridge upstream, the two forming a large roundabout system to manage traffic.
History
The first recorded reference to Warrington Bridge is in 1285.[2] It was the site of two battles during the Civil War, in advance of the Battle of Preston in 1648[3] and at the Battle of Warrington Bridge in 1651.
New Bridge
- Main article: New Bridge, Warrington
A second road bridge was opened to the east in the 1986, in an attempt to alleviate traffic congestion.
References
- ↑ Engineering Timelines - Warrington Bridge
- ↑ Evans, Sian: Famous firsts, figures and important dates: Warrington Council
- ↑ The Preston Campaign, 1648 British Civil Wars Project
| Bridges and crossings on the River Mersey | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centre Park Link Bridge | Centre Park Bridge | Arpley Bridge | Warrington Bridge | New Bridge | Rowley Footbridge | Kingsway Bridge |
