Wilford Suspension Bridge

Wilford Suspension Bridge, also known as Meadows Suspension Bridge,[2] was originally known as the Welbeck Suspension Bridge. It is a combined suspension footbridge[1] for pedestrians and cyclists, and aqueduct which crosses the River Trent, linking the town of West Bridgford to the Meadows, in the city of Nottingham, England.[1] It also carries a gas main.

Wilford Suspension Bridge
Wilford Suspension Bridge
as viewed from the Meadows
Coordinates52.9332°N 1.1393°W / 52.9332; -1.1393
OS grid referenceSK 57936 37665
CarriesPedestrians, water main and gas pipelines
CrossesRiver Trent[1][2]
LocaleCity of Nottingham[1][2]
Other name(s)Meadows Suspension Bridge[2]
Owneroriginally: Nottingham Corporation Water Department,
then: Severn Trent Water Authority,
now: Severn Trent Water[3]
Heritage statusGrade II listed structure[1][2]
Preceded byWilford Toll Bridge
Followed byTrent Bridge
Characteristics
DesignSuspension bridge[1]
MaterialStone-clad towers, twin dual steel suspension cables, ashlar and steel[1][2]
Width12 feet (3.7 metres)
Traversable?Yes
Longest span225 feet (69 metres)
No. of spansOne
History
ArchitectArthur Brown
Engineering design byElliott & Brown
Constructed byNottingham Corporation Water Department
Construction cost£8,871 (equivalent to £940,000 in 2021),[4]
Opened1906[1][2]
Rebuilt2008–2010[3]
Location

The bridge is owned by Severn Trent Water.[3] It should not be confused with the separate Wilford Toll Bridge.

There is no public right of way along the bridge, and so it can be closed by Severn Trent Water whenever it is deemed expedient to do so.

It is a Grade II listed structure.[1][2]

History

The bridge was designed by the engineer Arthur Brown,[5] of Elliott & Brown (Civil and Structural Engineering Consultancy). The plans were drawn up by Frank Beckett Lewis, the City Architect. It was constructed by the Nottingham Corporation Water Department at a cost of £8,871 (equivalent to £940,000 in 2021),[4] with the principal purpose of carrying water to Wilford Hill reservoir.

Responsibility for the bridge was transferred from the Nottingham Corporation Water Department to the Severn Trent Water Authority in April 1974, upon the reorganisation of the water industry in England and Wales, and subsequently to Severn Trent Water in 1989 prior to the privatisation of the water industry.

Following a restoration in 1983,[2] the bridge was closed to pedestrians in July 2008 for a major restoration, following reports of falling debris.[6][3] It re-opened on 12 February 2010 after a £1.9m refurbishment.[3]

Technical details
  • Gas main — two 12 inches (30 centimetres) diameter pipes
  • Water main — one 14 inches (36 centimetres) diameter pipe

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Wilford Suspension Bridge.
  1. Historic England. "Footbridge over River Trent (that part in Nottingham Civil Parish) (1270440)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  2. Historic England. "Meadows Suspension Bridge (1237034)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 December 2017.
  3. "Wilford suspension bridge set to reopen". ThisIsNottingham.co.uk. Northcliffe Media Limited. 11 February 2010. Archived from the original on 14 September 2012.
  4. UK Retail Price Index inflation figures are based on data from Clark, Gregory (2017). "The Annual RPI and Average Earnings for Britain, 1209 to Present (New Series)". MeasuringWorth. Retrieved 11 June 2022.
  5. Elain Harwood (2008). Nottingham: city guides. Pevsner architectural guides. London: Yale University Press. ISBN 978-0-300-12666-2.
  6. "More details emerge on future of Wilford Suspension Bridge". ThisIsNottingham.co.uk. Northcliffe Media Limited. 26 November 2008. Archived from the original on 17 September 2012.

Further reading
  • Palmer, M; Neaverson, P (1992). Industrial Landscapes of the East Midlands. p. 141.
  • Williamson, E (1979). The Buildings of England: Nottinghamshire. p. 248.
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