The River Tees forms the traditional border between Yorkshire and County Durham, passes through the Teesside Urban area built-up area, and has many crossings. The natural low-lying landscape of the surrounding landscape together with the development of shipping on the water way has led a number of unusual bridges being built.[1]
History of crossings
An early crossing of the Tees was made by the Romans, with the construction of a bridge at Piercebridge, along with a corresponding fortress.[2] The bridge was built on the route of Dere Street, and as a result it likely saw a great deal of military traffic going between the fortress at York and the northern frontier.[3] It was first built in wood around 90 AD, before being rebuilt in stone, possibly when the first bridge washed away. The use of the bridge may have continued into the sub-Roman period.[2]
Crossings of the Tees continued to be important in the journey from north to south, and vice versa, along the east coast, during the medieval period.[4] During the 13th century it was described as "the major obstacle to speedy travel out of the diocese of Durham southwards", with the contemporary fords, bridges and ferries proving particularly inconvenient in the winter period.[5] This included the Great North Road, for which the Croft Bridge was built in the 13th or 14th centuries. Yarm Bridge was built around 1400, by bishop Skirlaw.[4]
In 1771 a major flood on the Tees, along with others in the North-East, caused major damage to the river's bridges, completely destroying some. The Wynch Bridge, Supposedly the oldest suspension bridge in Europe, dating from 1741, was lifted from its moorings. The bridge in Gilmonby was recorded as being destroyed after having only been fully operational for 3 years. On the other hand, The medieval Yarm Bridge was not affected by the flood, despite every other building in the town being damaged.[6]
With the industrialisation of the area through the 19th century, many new bridges where needed closer to the ports mouth.[5] When the Stockton and Darlington railway, first opened in 1825, it was realised that the staiths at Stockton where two small to export the desired amount of coal. The decision was made to start exporting closer to the rivers mouth on the other bank, at Port Darlington (later Middlesbrough). This required the building of the first suspension railway bridge.[a] This moved the commercial centre of gravity of Teesside further down stream, where many future bridges would be built.[7]
By the end of that century there were 21 principal firms on and adjacent to the Tees in the Stockton and Thornaby area, with 36 firms in the Middlesbrough area. This led to the development of two of the most famous bridges on the river, The Transporter Bridge, in 1911, and the Newport Bridge, in 1934, both trying to balance the needs of travellers across the river with shipping up and down it.[5]
The following is a list of crossings of the River Tees, heading downstream, from source to its mouth in the North Sea. This includes road, rail, pipe and foot/cycle bridges and fords.[8][9]
The original suspension bridge built on this spot was finished in 1741, was the first of its kind in Britain. That bridge was washed away in the Great Flood of 1771, with 2 more bridges being subsequently built there.[13]
A bridge on this site was originally built in 1881, by public subscription. That bridge was damaged by flooding in 1942 and closed. Eventually rebuilt in 1971. There has been some controversy over who is responsible for upkeep.[14][15]
Replacing an earlier bridge, of 1811, which had collapsed before its completion. Consisting of one wide segmental arch, this bridge was under construction as early as 1810, using funds raised by public subscription.[16][17] It now carries the B6277 road.
While incorporating parts of the original 15th century bridge, the structure as it now stands mostly dates to the 17th century.[20] Carries the B6281 road.
Also known as the "Silver Bridge" locally. A Victorian aqueduct, built for Stockton and Middlesbrough Waterboard by Head Wrightson, with a footpath on top.[23][24][25] It was designed by the engineer, James Mansergh.[26]
Replacing a much older bridge of an unknown age, the gothic bridge, is also known as "County Bridge". Like many bridges on the Tees it was severely damaged by the 1771 flood, and was rebuilt.[27][28][29] It now carries the A67 road.
Built to give access to the mills for textile workers. It was the second bridge on the site replacing a bridge that had been completed in the early 1870s. The first bridge, which was apparently cheaply built, collapsed in a storm in 1881, killing 2 onlookers. A second bridge was completed in 1882, but opened without ceremony.[30][31]
Built for John Sawrey Morritt as one single span. There are two emplacements at the south end of the bridge which are the sites of former toll houses, which were built with battlements and ornamental arrow loops. These buildings where demolished in the second half of the 20th century.[26][32]
The bridge had been started at this location before October 1829, but a flood on the 13th of that month destroyed all progress. John Green of Newcastle was tasked with the redesign, which he based on his previous work on the Scotswood suspension bridge.[33]
Built by a farmer to access a field, but over the years came to be used by the homeowners of Barforth Hall. A pier collapsed in 2002, and the bridge continued to deteriorate, with a dispute arising in 2009 about who owned the bridge, and who had the responsibility to upkeep it.[38][39][40]
Built in 1961, in advance of the A1(M) Darlington bypass, which opened in 1965. As the part of the road around the river largely follows the alignment of the former Merrybent Railway, this bridge is sited at the location of a former railway bridge, which had been destroyed by fire in 1952.[7][42]
A privately owned bridge originally built to carry sewage to a treatment plant, that has since closed. Designed by civil engineer Robert Robinson, to an American design, it was completed in 1879.[44][43]
Built for industrialist and politician Thomas Wrightson, to connect his country house, Sockburn Hall (also known as Neasham Hall), to the church in Eryholme, without having to use the existing ford.[45]
The owner of the land around the All Saints Church, Girsby, Theophania Blackett of Sockburn Hall, closed the church and the original wooden bridge near by, restricting both for her family's private use. Darlington Highway Board sued, and she was eventually forced to restore access to the church by building a new bridge, completed in 1870.[14][44]
Built by the local land owner to access his private land on either side of the river. Built on the site of an ancient ford, and down stream of a ferry. It was designed by Simpson Coulson and Partners, Stockton.[7]
The present deck of bridge dates from 1956, placed on top of the original stone columns. Before that it had been a toll-bridge operated by the Over Dinsdale Estate.[46]
^Due to design flaws, this first bridge swayed far to much and had to be supported by wooden "Starlings". Even still the sway was so much that wagons had chained 9 meters apart so that weight was distributed evenly across the bridge.[7]
Citations
^"Bridges over the Tees"(PDF). myice.ice.org.uk. Institute of Civil Engineers. Retrieved 3 March 2023.
^ abFitzpatrick, A. P.; Scott, Peter R. (1999). "The Roman Bridge at Piercebridge, North Yorkshire-County Durham". Britannia. 30: 111–132. doi:10.2307/526675. JSTOR526675. S2CID162361828.
Ramsden, Doglas M. (1947). Teesdale. 11 Gower Street, London: Museum Press Limited.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location (link)
Roberts, Martin; Pevsner, Nikolaus; Williamson, Elizabeth (2021). The Buildings of England: County Durham. New Haven, CT ; London: Yale University Press. ISBN9780300225044.
Woodhouse, Robert (1991). The River Tees: A North Country River. Lavenham: Terence Dalton Limited. ISBN0861380916.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
_(cropped).jpg)
