Over Bridge is a single span stone arch bridge spanning the canalised West Channel of the River Severn near Gloucester. It links Over to Alney Island.
Although there was a crossing at Over recorded in the Domesday Book, this famous bridge was built by Thomas Telford between 1825 and 1828, to carry traffic east-west. It was opened in 1830 and remained in use for traffic until 1974. Until the Severn Bridge was built in the 1960s this was the lowest point downstream that the Severn could be crossed by road bridge.
The arch spans 150 feet (46 m), and was based on Jean-Rodolphe Perronet's 1774 design for a bridge over the River Seine at Neuilly. It combines both an elliptical profile over most of the soffit with a segmental profile at its faces. This feature is known as a corne de vache.
When built, the arch sank by 2 inches when its timber centering was removed, and another 8 inches due to settlement of the arch foundations.
Today it is a pedestrian-only bridge, and is in the guardianship of English Heritage as a Scheduled Ancient Monument reference number 28842. Road traffic on the A40 crosses the Severn on a new bridge alongside and upstream of it.
This is the last road bridge over the Severn before the Severn Crossings, and the most downstream free crossing, although the Severn Bridge has free access for pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds and, as previously stated, there is no vehicular access to Over Bridge.
Famous quotes containing the word bridge:
“A circle swoop, and a quick parabola under the bridge arches
Where light pushes through;
A sudden turning upon itself of a thing in the air.
A dip to the water.”
—D.H. (David Herbert)