Revision 519207 of "Walton Bridge" on testwiki

{{distinguish|Walton Bridge (Keene, New York)|Bailey Bridge (Walton on Trent)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name= Walton Bridge
|image=Walton Bridge - Aug 2013.JPG
|caption= Walton Bridge<br>''(taken in Summer 2013 from upstream)''
|official_name= 
|carries= [[A224 road]]
|crosses=[[River Thames]]
|locale= [[Walton on Thames]] and [[Shepperton]], [[Surrey]]
|maint=
|id=
|designer =
|design= 
|material = Steel
|spans =
|pierswater = 
|mainspan= 
|length= 
|width= 
|height={{convert|18|ft|3|in|m}}<ref>River Thames Alliance. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080124114502/http://www.visitthames.co.uk/text.asp?PageId=320 Bridge heights on the River Thames.]</ref>
|clearance=
|below= 
|traffic=
|open= 2013
|closed=
|toll=
|map_cue=
|map_image=
|map_text=
|map_width=
|coordinates= 
|lat=
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}}

'''Walton Bridge''' is a road bridge across the [[River Thames]] in England, carrying the [[A244 road|A244]] between [[Walton-on-Thames]] and [[Shepperton]], crossing the Thames on the reach between [[Sunbury Lock]] and [[Shepperton Lock]].

The bridge is the first Thames road bridge which is on both banks upstream of [[Greater London]]. The bridge is the sixth on the site. Before the first bridge, the site had a ferry dating at least to the 17th century. Test123. <!-- A previous editor had 15th century but a citation to that period is needed, we have a reference below to Shepperton Ferry, which connects to Weybridge in the 14th century but a Walton to Lower Halliford Ferry needs similar research-->

==Earlier crossings at the site==

Near Walton Bridge, and removed when the first bridge was built in 1750, were several [[tumulus|barrows]]. [[Spear]] heads and [[pottery|earthenware vessels]] are said by J. Douglas<ref>Naenia Brit.{{Title incomplete}} p.94 cited by Malden below, date of publication not given.</ref> to have been found in them.<ref name=malden>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=43009 |title=Parishes: Walton on Thames |author=H.E. Malden (editor) |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |date=1911 |work=A History of the County of Surrey: Volume 3 |accessdate=13 August 2013 }}</ref>

From [[Borough of Elmbridge|Elmbridge]] ferries run by operators under a Crown-granted monopoly, subject to conditions, existed since the [[Stuart period]]: as follows:<ref name=robbins>{{cite book|last=Robbins|first=Michael|title=Middlesex|origyear=1953|year=2003|publisher=Phillimore|location=Chichester|isbn=9781860772696|page=76}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable" style="float: left; font-size: 100%;" cellspacing="5"
|-
|[[Hampton, London|Hampton Court, Hampton]]||[[Molesey]] &mdash; see [[Hampton Court Bridge]]
|-
|[[Hampton, London|Hampton]]||[[Molesey Hurst]] &mdash; [[Hampton Ferry (River Thames)|still operational]], established 1514<ref>[http://www.hamptonferryboathouse.co.uk Hampton Ferry Boathouse] Retrieved 2013-08-13</ref>
|-
|[[Sunbury-on-Thames]]||[[Sunbury Lock]] &mdash; at the north-eastern corner of [[Walton-on-Thames]] &mdash; discontinued
|-
|[[Shepperton|Lower Halliford, Shepperton]]||[[Walton-on-Thames]] &mdash; now '''Walton Bridge'''
|-
|[[Shepperton|Old Shepperton, Shepperton]]||[[Weybridge]] &mdash; [[Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry|still operational]]
|}
{{clear}}
The two remaining join those in [[London]] (the [[Twickenham Ferry]] and [[Woolwich Ferry]]) and seasonal visitor services in [[Oxford]].

Land near the relevant site was said in 1633 to have been washed away, reflecting the lack of the additional river channels at Windsor, Laleham and Weybridge, lack of weirs and former marshiness of the double bend of the river known as Cowey Sale and opposing small meander of land, Thames Meadow on the north bank.

A Shepperton ferry is recorded in the 15th century – at which position however is uncertain.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=22224&strquery=ferry |title=Shepperton: The hundred of Spelthorne (continued) |author=Susan Reynolds (Editor) |publisher=Institute of Historical Research |year=1962 |work=A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 3: Shepperton, Staines, Stanwell, Sunbury, Teddington, Heston and Isleworth, Twickenham, Cowley, Cranford, West Drayton, Greenford, Hanwell, Harefield and Harlington |accessdate=17 November 2012 }}</ref><ref>Manuscripts of the Duke of Northumberland, [[Syon House]] Feudal Evidences and Records 315/419, folio 50; M.R. 327</ref>

==First bridge==
{{main|Old Walton Bridge}}
[[File:Canaletto-waltonbridge.jpg|thumb|right|First Bridge &mdash; ''Walton Bridge'' by Canaletto]]

In 1747 [[Samuel Dicker]], local landowner and later MP for [[Plymouth (UK Parliament constituency)|Plymouth]], obtained permission to build a bridge at Walton. It was designed by William Etheridge and built by White of Weybridge to consist of "timbers tangent to a circle of 100 feet [[diameter]]" and was built so that a single timber could be extracted and repaired without disturbing the rest of the bridge.<ref>Fred. S. Thacker ''The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs'' 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles</ref> [[Old Walton Bridge]] was completed in August 1750 and acquired some fame, meriting an article in the [[Gentleman's Magazine]], a report in [[Daniel Defoe]]'s Tour in 1753 and a painting by [[Canaletto]] in 1754.  The painting, which shows the [[rococo]]-style of this bridge, is in [[Dulwich Picture Gallery]].<ref>[http://www.dulwichpicturegallery.org.uk/ Old Walton Bridge - Canaletto]</ref>

[[Queens College, Cambridge]] record that its [[Mathematical Bridge]] resembles this much grander structure also by Etheridge &mdash; unlike Walton Bridge, Etheridge's bridge there has been rebuilt twice to his design, having encountered minor wood rot, but has never collapsed.<ref>[http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/general-information/historical-fun/queens-college/mathematical-bridge/history-of-the-bridge-at-queens History of the Bridge at Queens] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130813145212/http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/general-information/historical-fun/queens-college/mathematical-bridge/history-of-the-bridge-at-queens |date=13 August 2013 }} Queens College, Cambridge. Retrieved 2013-08-13</ref><ref>[http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/general-information/historical-fun/queens-college/mathematical-bridge/history-of-the-bridge-at-queens Design] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20130813145212/http://www.quns.cam.ac.uk/general-information/historical-fun/queens-college/mathematical-bridge/history-of-the-bridge-at-queens |date=13 August 2013 }} Queens College, Cambridge. Retrieved 2013-08-13</ref>

The timber structure stood approximately 33 years, that is, until 1783. A report on the condition of the bridge in 1778 suggested that decay in the wooden frame made it unsuitable for use and it was dismantled five years later.<ref name=robbins/>

==Second bridge==
[[File:Turner-Walton-Bridges.jpg|thumb|right|Second Bridge &mdash; ''Walton Bridges'' by J. M. W. Turner]]

The second bridge made of stone (and internally of brick) was permitted, with additional tolls, under an Act of Parliament obtained by the nephew of Mr Dicker, Dicker Sanders and designed by [[James Paine (architect)|James Paine]], whose bridge [[Chertsey Bridge]] still stands.<ref name=malden/> This was opened in 1788.  This bridge inspired three paintings by [[J.M.W. Turner|Turner]] in 1805 of different scenes featuring the bridge following some sketches which have also been preserved; most of these works are kept by the [[Tate Gallery]] <ref>[http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-the-thames-near-walton-bridges-n02680 Tate Gallery ''Turner: The Thames Near Walton Bridges''] Retrieved 2013-07-13<br />[http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-walton-reach-n02681 Tate Gallery ''Turner: Walton Reach''] Retrieved 2013-07-13</ref><ref>[http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/turner-walton-bridges-tw0867 Tate Gallery ''Turner: Walton Bridges''] Retrieved 2013-07-13</ref>, though one painting was sold at Sotheby’s in July 2018 for £3.4 million, its export then being blocked by the Government for the national benefit. Most of Turner’s river tour of 1805 concentrated on the [[River Thames|Thames]], with a few paintings of the [[River Wey|Wey]] at that time.

The bridge lasted much longer than its predecessor, but part of it collapsed in 1859. A ferry crossing was briefly revived until the completion of the third bridge in 1864.

==Third bridge==
[[File:Third-Walton-Bridge-1897.jpg|thumb|right|Third Bridge &mdash; [[James Dredge, Jr.|James Dredge]]]]

The third bridge, built 1863–64, was an iron girder lattice bridge on stone piers. At the same time, a brick viaduct was constructed to span the flood plain to the south of the river.  The bridge was freed of tolls in about 1870.{{citation needed|date=August 2013}}

The third bridge was damaged during the [[World War II|Second World War]] in 1940 leading to a permanent weight restriction.  To alleviate this a fourth temporary bridge was constructed and the third bridge was relegated to use by cyclists and pedestrians. Robbins described it in 1953 as "an ungracious structure of iron lattice girders" in his county history.<ref>{{cite book|last=Robbins|first=Michael|title=Middlesex|origyear=1953|year=2003|publisher=Phillimore|location=Chichester|isbn=9781860772696|page=326}}</ref>  Assisted by the weight restriction and metal design it was longer-lasting than the previous two bridges but was finally demolished in 1985.

==Fourth bridge==
[[File:WaltonBridge.jpg|right|thumb|4th Walton Bridge (unused) from downstream]]
The fourth bridge was constructed in 1953 on the downstream side of the old bridge, using a construction designed by A.M. Hamilton in 1930 and is called a [[Callender-Hamilton bridge]]. The fourth bridge was retained for use by cyclists and pedestrians when the fifth bridge was completed in 1999.

==Fifth bridge==
In 1999, while the fourth bridge remained standing for use by pedestrians and cyclists, another temporary structure, the fifth bridge, on the site of the original bridges, was opened for vehicular traffic. This initially had several problems and had to be resurfaced a number of times causing traffic disruptions.  The poor architecture of these two co-existing bridges led to demands for construction of the sixth bridge (pictured).  Together, the old bridges faced heavy criticism as had the very existence of a rusting, less strong, incongrous, military style foot and cycle bridge and engineers predicted structural weakness by 2015, hence the plans for a new bridge.  In 2003 a political impetus grew for rebuilding and was a key local election issue for councillors seeking to run for [[Elmbridge Borough Council]] and [[Surrey County Council]] combined with the ''Heart of Walton Development'' which was not yet complete.<ref name=gs>[http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/46500_centre_and_bridge_dominate_election_campaign "Centre and bridge dominate election campaign" ]</ref>
{{cquote|One 2003 Local Elections candidate for the three Walton Central seats said:
“It's [Walton is] in an awful state,” he said. “People are also interested in what’s happening with the bridge...<br>''The Surrey Herald'', 16 April 2003<ref name=gs/>}}

==Sixth bridge==
[[File:Walton Bridge being rebuilt with new arches in 2012.jpg|thumb|The sixth bridge during construction in November 2012]]
The sixth bridge was opened on 22 July 2013.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-surrey-23404157|title=£32m Walton road bridge opens to Surrey traffic|publisher=BBC|date=22 Jul 2013}}</ref> A public inquiry rejected some aspects of the original plan but approval of the funding arrangements was confirmed on 29 December 2010.  After extensive preparatory work in 2011, the main construction works began on 9 January 2012, and building completed in July 2013. The bridge replaced the two extant bridges (4th and 5th), which remained in use during construction.  The new £32.4 million bridge has no piers in the river, thus opening up views along the river and improving navigation for boats.  The constructor completed the removal of the old bridges in November 2013 and was set to complete surrounding landscaping works in August 2014.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/bridges-and-structures/walton-bridge/outline-timetable-for-walton-bridge|title=Walton Bridge|publisher=Surrey County Council|date=1 Jun 2010|accessdate=2011-01-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130629184221/http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/bridges-and-structures/walton-bridge/outline-timetable-for-walton-bridge|archive-date=29 June 2013|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

The bridge is used on an unsigned but map-marked cyclists' variation of the [[Thames Path]] bypassing the on-request [[Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry]], that runs during main hours of daytime, to where the path recombines at [[Chertsey Bridge]], where it takes the northern towpath as below [[Hampton Court Bridge]].

The bridge, a thrust arch bridge, provides the first single-span bridge heading up the Thames. The next single-span bridges up the Thames are a pair of co-functional "old and new" [[Runnymede Bridge]]s between [[Surrey]] and [[Berkshire]].

==References==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite web |url=http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/591f7dda55aad72a80256c670041a50d/1c602ea59c869c9180256e600054b26c/$FILE/Town%20populations.pdf |title=Town Populations |accessdate=2006-12-08 |format=pdf |work=2001 census |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071025014840/http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/591f7dda55aad72a80256c670041a50d/1c602ea59c869c9180256e600054b26c/%24FILE/Town%20populations.pdf |archivedate=25 October 2007 |df= }}
* {{cite web | url =http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/bridges-and-structures/walton-bridge/outline-timetable-for-walton-bridge | title =History of Walton Bridge | accessdate =2006-12-08 | author =Colin Bentley | work =Surrey County Council online | publisher =Surrey County Council | archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130629184221/http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/roads-and-transport/bridges-and-structures/walton-bridge/outline-timetable-for-walton-bridge | archive-date =29 June 2013 | url-status =dead | df =dmy-all }}
{{refend}}
{{reflist}}

==See also==

* [[Crossings of the River Thames]]

{{S-start}}
{{River bridge start|River=[[River Thames]]}}
{{River item line|upstream=[[Shepperton to Weybridge Ferry]] (pedestrian)
|downstream=[[Hampton Ferry (River Thames)|Hampton Ferry]] (pedestrian)}}
{{S-end}}

{{coord|51|23|15|N|0|25|52|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title}}

[[Category:Bridges in Surrey]]
[[Category:Bridges across the River Thames]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1864]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1953]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1788]]
[[Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Former toll bridges in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:1788 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 2013]]
<noinclude>

<small>This page was moved from [[:en:Walton Bridge]]. Its edit history can be viewed at [[Walton Bridge/edithistory]]</small></noinclude>