Prince Street Bridge

Prince Street Bridge is a swing bridge across Bristol Harbour. It is now Grade II listed.[1] The bridge carries a road from Prince Street to Wapping Road and is located between the Arnolfini art centre and M Shed museum.

Prince Street Bridge
The bridge swinging with the pumping house and accumulator tower in the background
Coordinates51.4487°N 2.5968°W / 51.4487; -2.5968
CarriesRoad
CrossesBristol Harbour
OwnerBristol City Council
Heritage statusGrade II listed building
Characteristics
MaterialIron
Trough constructionRiveted steel plates
History
Construction end1879
Closed2015

The iron swing bridge was built in 1879 on the site of the ancient Gib ferry owned by the Dean and Chapter of Bristol Cathedral. It replaced a previous bridge built in 1809.[2][3] In the 19th century tolls were charged for traffic over the bridge,[4] with the toll house being burnt during the Bristol Riots of 1831.[5][6][7]

The swing bridge is operated by water hydraulic power provided by the adjacent engine house and accumulator tower.[8]

Repair work which commenced in August 2015 was expected to cost £400,000, however initial surveys found the corrosion was worse than initially expected and could now cost £1.2million.[9] Some pressure groups have called for the bridge to be closed to cars permanently, allowing only cyclists and pedestrians to use it.[10]

References
  1. Historic England. "Prince Street Bridge (1209521)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  2. "Application for Listed Building Consent in Relation to Prince Street Bridge, Bristol" (PDF). Bristol City Council. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  3. Historic England. "Prince Street Bridge (1008187)". PastScape. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  4. Large, David (1984). The Port of Bristol, 1848–1884. Bristol Record Society. pp. 93–94.
  5. "Bristol Riots: Burning Toll House on Prince Street Bridge". Art UK. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  6. Nicholls, J. F.; Taylor, John. "The 1831 Uprising – Part 2: The Uprising". Bristol Radical History Group. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  7. "Riots at Bristol". Spectator. 5 November 1831. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
  8. Historic England. "Prince Street Bridge Engine House and Accumulator Tower (1202454)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  9. "Bristol's Prince Street Bridge repair costs treble". BBC. Retrieved 23 February 2016.
  10. Onions, Ian (5 September 2015). "Pressure groups call for permanent closure of Prince Street Bridge". Bristol Post. Archived from the original on 9 September 2015. Retrieved 25 February 2016.
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