Richmond Bridge, London
| Richmond Bridge | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Coordinates | 51°27′26″N 0°18′26″W / 51.45725°N 0.30732°WCoordinates: 51°27′26″N 0°18′26″W / 51.45725°N 0.30732°W |
| Carries | A305 road |
| Crosses | River Thames |
| Locale | Richmond, London |
| Heritage status | Grade I listed structure |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Stone arch bridge |
| Material | Portland stone |
| Total length | 300 feet (91 m) |
| Width | 36 feet (11 m) |
| No. of spans | 5 |
| Piers in water | 4 |
| Clearance below | 26 feet (7.9 m) at lowest astronomical tide |
| History | |
| Designer | James Paine, Kenton Couse |
| Opened | 1777 |
| Statistics | |
| Daily traffic | 34,484 vehicles (2004) |
Richmond Bridge is an 18th-century stone arch bridge that crosses the River Thames at Richmond, connecting the two halves of the present-day London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It was designed by James Paine and Kenton Couse.
The bridge, which is a Grade I listed, was built between 1774 and 1777, as a replacement for a ferry crossing which connected Richmond town centre on the east bank with its neighbouring district of East Twickenham to the west. Its construction was privately funded by a tontine scheme, for which tolls were charged until 1859. Because the river meanders from its general west to east direction, flowing from southeast to northwest in this part of London, what would otherwise be known as the north and south banks are often referred to as the "Middlesex" (Twickenham) and "Surrey" (Richmond) banks respectively, named after the historic counties to which each side once belonged.
The bridge was widened and slightly flattened in 1937–40, but otherwise still conforms to its original design. The eighth Thames bridge to be built in what is now Greater London, it is today the oldest surviving Thames bridge in London.
The small town of Sheen on the Surrey bank of the Thames, 10 miles (16 km) west of the City of London or 16 miles (26 km) by river, had been the site of a royal palace since 1299. After it was destroyed by fire in 1497, Henry VII built a new palace on the site, naming it Richmond Palace after his historic title of Earl of Richmond, and the central part of Sheen became known as Richmond.
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