Seven bridges for... six
boroughs become London's latest listed landmarks
DEPARTMENT FOR
CULTURE, MEDIA AND SPORT News Release (122/2008) issued by COI News
Distribution Service. 26 November 2008
Seven of
London's bridges spanning over a hundred and forty years of
Thames crossings were today listed by Culture Secretary Andy
Burnham, acting upon the advice of English Heritage.
Chelsea, Lambeth and Richmond Railway Bridges have all been
listed at Grade II, whilst Cremorne, Hammersmith, Twickenham and
Vauxhall Bridges have all been listed at, or upgraded to, Grade II*.
Announcing the listing of the bridges, which will give them
greater protection against unsympathetic development, Andy Burnham said:
"Bridges have straddled the Thames, uniting North and South
London, for centuries. In fact, there is evidence of structures
across the river dating as far back as 1500BC. These seven
examples represent the very best of Britain's bridge-building
heritage; from one of the first modern suspension bridges in the
world to Britain's only example of sculpture on a river crossing.
"They show British engineering at its best. I believe they
should be celebrated and preserved for generations to come."
Simon Thurley, Chief Executive for English Heritage said:
"London's bridges are the vertebrae of this great
city's spine - the River Thames. Considering their
architectural and historic contribution to the capital, a
surprising number of these magnificent river crossings do not have
statutory protection.
I am therefore delighted that the Minister has agreed with our
advice and has awarded these spans listed status or upgraded their
original listing. It is a fantastic endorsement of London's heritage."
The oldest Thames bridge being listed today, Cremorne Bridge, was
opened on 2 March, 1863, and is one of the earliest surviving
railway bridges to cross the Thames in its original form. It
connects the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham with
Wandsworth, and was originally built to link up the main
northbound lines out of Paddington and Euston stations with the
southbound lines from Waterloo, Victoria and Clapham Junction.
The newest, Chelsea Bridge, represented a major step forward in
British bridge-building practice. Its construction had used the
wood of Douglas fir trees from British Columbia, and it was opened
by the Prime Minister of Canada, W L Mackenzie King on 6 May 1937.
The bridge itself is 212.7 metres long, 25 metres wide and has
heraldic designs on the four tall turrets that guard the entrances
to the bridge; two of which have a golden galleon with two shields
beneath, one which is decorated with the crests of the counties
that surround London and the last, which depicts doves holding
olive branches.
The bridge with the most interesting history is probably Lambeth
Bridge. Opened on 12 July, 1929 by King George V and Queen Mary,
it was built by the same firm who built the Tyne Bridge and the
Sydney Harbour Bridge. The site of Lambeth Bridge was an ancient
landing site dating from the 13th century, and was used to receive
the monarch on state occasions. Before a bridge was erected, a
horse-ferry shuttled between Lambeth and Millbank, hence the name
of its western approach road, Horseferry Road. In 1965, it became
the first of the Capital's bridges to be tunnelled beneath to
create a pedestrian walkway along the embankment.
Notes to editors
1. The bridges have been listed as follows: Chelsea Bridge
(listed at Grade II); Cremorne Bridge, West London Extension
Railway Bridge (listed at Grade II*); Hammersmith Bridge (upgraded
to Grade II*); Lambeth Bridge and attached parapets, light
standards, associated walls to approaches and obelisks (listed at
Grade II); Richmond Railway Bridge and approach viaduct (listed at
Grade II); Twickenham Bridge and attached railings, lamp standards
and light brackets (upgraded to Grade II*) and Vauxhall Bridge
(listed at Grade II*).
2. The main purpose of listing a building is to ensure that care
will be taken over decisions affecting its future, that any
alterations respect the particular character and interest of the
building, and that the case for its preservation is taken fully
into account in considering the merits of any redevelopment proposals.
3. Further details of English Heritage's recommendations can
be obtained from Historic Environment Designation Branch,
Department for Culture, Media and Sport, 2-4 Cockspur Street,
London SW1Y 5DH.
Public enquiries 020 7211 6200
http://www.culture.gov.uk
2-4 Cockspur Street
London SW1Y 5DH
http://www.culture.gov.uk
news release