Newport Bridge, Newport

Newport Bridge
Newport Bridge in 2011.
Carries	Motor vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians
Crosses	River Usk
Locale	Newport
Official name	Newport Bridge
Maintained by	Newport City Council
Characteristics
Design	Five-span Arch bridge
Total length	? feet (? metres)
Width	Four-lane carriageway, two cycle/footpaths
Longest span	? m (? ft)
History
Opened	22 June 1927

Newport Bridge (colloquially called Town Bridge though Newport is a city) connects High Street and Clarence Place across the River Usk adjacent to Newport Castle in Newport city centre.

The first stone bridge on the site was a bridge of five arches, erected in the year 1800 by David Edwards (son of William Edwards). It was widened and improved in 1866 by adding footpaths on both sides.

The original foundation stone bearing the inscription "This bridge was erected at the expense of the County by David Edwards and his two sons William and Thomas. Completed AD MDCCC." is now set into the stonework of Caerleon Bridge.

A blue plaque on the bridge erected by Newport Civic Society commemorates the Newport harbour commissioners landing stage and states "Paddle steamers of P&A Campbell's famous white funnel fleet regularly sailed from near this point. Opened in the 1880s, extended in the mid 1890s and closed in the 1950s".

On 5 March 1913 the famous escape artist Harry Houdini jumped off Newport Bridge with his hands manacled and his feet shackled. He had been turned back by police but caught a taxi cab across the bridge and entered from the opposite side. He was arrested the following week by the police for obstructing a public highway and for holding a public entertainment on the bridge.

In 1911 the Town Council sought designs for a new replacement bridge. In December 1923 a decision was made to proceed immediately with the construction of the new bridge, partly as a scheme to find work for the unemployed.

To best achieve this a temporary wooden bridge was erected alongside it and all power and gas lines were re-routed onto it. Even the town's tram lines and their accompanying overhead power system were moved over.

The old bridge was then demolished and the new one erected.

On 22 June 1927 the new bridge was complete and opened to traffic by the Transport Minister Wilfrid Ashley.