Osney Bridge

Osney Bridge
Osney Bridge looking north from Osney Island
Coordinates 51°45′10″N 1°16′23″W / 51.752694°N 1.273093°W / 51.752694; -1.273093Coordinates: 51°45′10″N 1°16′23″W / 51.752694°N 1.273093°W / 51.752694; -1.273093
Carries A420 road, Thames Path
Crosses River Thames
Locale Oxford
Maintained by Oxfordshire County Council
Characteristics
Design arch
Material iron
Height 7 feet 6 inches (2.29 m)[1]
No. of spans 1
History
Opened 1889

Osney Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames in Oxford, England, built in 1889 to replace a stone bridge which collapsed in 1885.[2] It carries the Botley Road (A420) from Botley into Oxford. The Thames Path crosses the river on this bridge, just above Osney Lock.

The original bridge was probably built by the monks of Osney Abbey, to carry the main road across the millstream of Osney Mill west from the island then known as Osney.[3] By the early 17th century it was a three arch stone construction. In 1790 the millstream became the main navigation channel of the river, and the bridge became a serious obstruction to navigation by the mid 19th century. In 1885 the central arch collapsed leaving massive piers[4]

Osney Bridge has the lowest headroom of any across the navigable Thames, and as such limits the size of boats that can travel past it without having to be removed from the water and placed upstream of the bridge.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Bridge heights on the River Thames". River Thames Alliance. Archived from the original on 2008-01-24. Retrieved 2009-05-14.
  2. ↑ Eade, John (2005). "Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide". Retrieved 2009-05-14.
  3. ↑ Crossley, Alan; Elrington, C.R. (eds.); Chance, Eleanor; Colvin, Christina; Cooper, Janet; Day, C.J.; Hassall, T.G.; Selwyn, Nesta (1979). A History of the County of Oxford, Volume 4: Communications. Victoria County History.
  4. ↑ Thacker, Fred. S. (1968) [1920]. The Thames Highway: Volume II a history of the locks and weirs. 2. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 9780715342336. OCLC 55209571.
View of bridge with mini-weir from the western side
Next crossing upstream River Thames Next crossing downstream
Medley Footbridge (pedestrian) Osney Bridge Osney Rail Bridge (railway)
Next crossing upstream Thames Path Next crossing downstream
northern bank
Medley Footbridge		 Osney Bridge southern bank
Abingdon Lock
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