The River Tees forms the traditional border between Yorkshire and County Durham, passes through the Teesside Urban area built-up area, and has many crossings. The natural low-lying landscape of the surrounding landscape together with the development of shipping on the water way has led a number of unusual bridges being built.[1]
An early crossing of the Tees was made by the Romans, with the construction of a bridge at Piercebridge, along with a corresponding fortress. The bridge was built on the route of Dere Street, and as a result it likely saw a great deal of military traffic going between the fortress at York and the northern frontier.[2] It was first built in wood around 90 AD, before being rebuilt in stone, possibly when the first bridge washed away. The use of the bridge may of continued into the sub-Roman period.[3]
Crossings of the Tees continued to be important in the journey from north to south, and vice versa, along the east coast, during the medieval period. During the 13th century it was described as "the major obstacle to speedy travel out of the diocese of Durham southwards", with the contemporary fords, bridges and ferries proving particularly inconvenient in the winter period.[4] This included the Great North Road, for which the Croft Bridge was built in the 13th or 14th centuries. Yarm Bridge was built around 1400, by bishop Skirlaw.[5]
In 1771 a major flood on the Tees, along with others in the North-East, caused major damage to the river's bridges, completely destroying some. The Wynch Bridge, Supposedly the oldest suspension bridge in Europe, dating from 1741, was lifted from its moorings. The bridge in Gilmonby was recorded as being destroyed after having only been fully operational for 3 years. On the other hand, The medieval Yarm Bridge was not affected by the flood, despite every other building in the town being damaged.[6]
With the industrialisation of the area through the 19th century, many new bridges where needed closer to the ports mouth. When the Stockton and Darlington railway, first opened in 1825, it was realised that the staiths at Stockton where two small to export the desired amount of coal. The decision was made to start exporting closer to the rivers mouth on the other bank, at Port Darlington (later Middlesbrough). This required the building of the first suspension railway bridge. This moved the commercial centre of gravity of Teesside further down stream, where many future bridges would be built.[7]
By the end of that century there were 21 principal firms on and adjacent to the Tees in the Stockton and Thornaby area, with 36 firms in the Middlesbrough area. This led to the development of two of the most famous bridges on the river, The Transporter Bridge, in 1911, and the Newport Bridge, in 1934, both trying to balance the needs of travellers across the river with shipping up and down it.
The following is a list of crossings of the River Tees, heading downstream, from source to its mouth in the North Sea. This includes road, rail, pipe and foot/cycle bridges and fords.[8] [9]
| Crossing | Photo | Opened | Notes | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Moor House Bridge | |||||
| Birkdale footbridge | 1966 | Just downstream from Cow Green reservoir.[10] | |||
| Cronkley Bridge | Private road bridge | ||||
| Holwick Head Bridge | 1998 | The first bridge built here was in 1844, by the Duke of Cleveland.[11] | |||
| Wynch Bridge | 1830[12] | The original suspension bridge built on this spot was finished in 1741, was the first of its kind in Britain. That bridge was washed away in the Great Flood of 1771, with 2 more bridges being subsequently built there.[13] | |||
| Scoberry Bridge | 1971 | A bridge on this site was originally built in 1881, by public subscription. That bridge was damaged by flooding in 1942 and closed. Eventually rebuilt in 1971. There has been some controversy over who is responsible for upkeep.[14] [15] | |||
| Middleton Bridge | 1853 | Replacing an earlier bridge, of 1811, which had collapsed before its completion. Consisting of one wide segmental arch, this bridge was under construction as early as 1810, using funds raised by public subscription. It now carries the B6277 road. | |||
| Beckstones Wath Footbridge | 2002 | Also known as the Millennium Bridge, built in response to campaign from residents in Eggleston and Mickleton, began in the 1980s.[16] The opening ceremony was attended by Lord Barnard and Earl of Strathmore.[17] | |||
| Eggleston Bridge | 1450s | While incorporating parts of the original 15th century bridge, the structure as it now stands mostly dates to the 17th century. Carries the B6281 road. | |||
| Cotherstone Bridge | 1932 | This bridge is close to the point where the Balder meets the tees. A bridge on this site was destroyed in an 1881 flood. |
| Crossing | Photo | Opened | Notes | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deepdale Aqueduct | 1893 | Also known as the "Silver Bridge" locally. A Victorian aqueduct, built for Stockton and Middlesbrough Waterboard by Head Wrightson, with a footpath on top.[18] [19] [20] It was designed by the engineer, James Mansergh. | |||
| Barnard Castle Bridge | 1569 | Replacing a much older bridge of an unknown age, the gothic bridge, is also known as "County Bridge". Like many bridges on the Tees it was severely damaged by the 1771 flood, and was rebuilt.[21] [22] [23] It now carries the A67 road. | |||
| Thorngate Footbridge | 1882 | Built to give access to the mills for textile workers. It was the second bridge on the site replacing a bridge that had been completed in the early 1870s. The first bridge, which was apparently cheaply built, collapsed in a storm in 1881, killing 2 onlookers. A second bridge was completed in 1882, but opened without ceremony.[24] [25] | |||
| Abbey Bridge | 1773 | Built for John Sawrey Morritt as one single span. There are two emplacements at the south end of the bridge which are the sites of former toll houses, which were built with battlements and ornamental arrow loops. These buildings where demolished in the second half of the 20th century. | |||
| Whorlton Bridge | July 1831 | The bridge had been started at this location before October 1829, but a flood on the 13th of that month destroyed all progress. John Green of Newcastle was tasked with the redesign, which he based on his previous work on the Scotswood suspension bridge.[26] | |||
| Winston Bridge | 1763[27] | Originally built as part of a toll road from Staindrop to Richmond, and now carries the B6274. Designed by armature architect Sir Thomas Robinson. | |||
| West Tees Railway Bridge | 1856 | Pair of railway viaducts built as part of the former Darlington and Barnard Castle Railway. The railway had to be rerouted, to avoid Lord Barnard's Selaby Hall. The original bridges where destroyed in a flood in 1855.[28] [29] [30] | |||
| Gainford Railway Bridge | 1856 | ||||
| Barforth Hall Bridge | 1953 | Built by a farmer to access a field, but over the years came to be used by the homeowners of Barforth Hall. A pier collapsed in 2002, and the bridge continued to deteriorate, with a dispute arising in 2009 about who owned the bridge, and who had the responsibility to upkeep it.[31] [32] [33] |
| Crossing | Photo | Opened | Notes | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piercebridge Pipe Bridge | 1956 | water pipe | |||
| Piercebridge Bridge | 16th century | The outer arches date to the 16th century, with central arch dated to 1673. The bridge was widened in 1789. | |||
| A1(M) Bridge, Low Coniscliffe | 1961 | Built in 1961, in advance of the A1(M) Darlington bypass, which opened in 1965. As the part of the road around the river largely follows the alignment of the former Merrybent Railway, this bridge is sited at the location of a former railway bridge, which had been destroyed by fire in 1952.[34] | |||
| Blackwell Bridge | 1832 | Formerly carried the Great North Road, now carries the A66. Designed by John Green, it was his first masonry bridge. It was widened in 1961. | |||
| Croft Bridge | 15th century | A167 road | |||
| Croft Viaduct | 1840 | East Coast Main Line | |||
| Low Hail Bridge | 1879 | A privately owned bridge originally built to carry sewage to a treatment plant, that has since closed. Designed by civil engineer Robert Robinson, to an American design, it was completed in 1879.[35] | |||
| Neasham Hall Bridge | 1909 | Built for industrialist and politician Thomas Wrightson, to connect his country house, Sockburn Hall (also known as Neasham Hall), to the church in Eryholme, without having to use the existing ford.[36] | |||
| Girsby Bridge | 1870 | The owner of the land around the All Saints Church, Girsby, Theophania Blackett of Sockburn Hall, closed the church and the original wooden bridge near by, restricting both for her family's private use. Darlington Highway Board sued, and she was eventually forced to restore access to the church by building a new bridge, completed in 1870.[37] | |||
| Fishlocks Bridge | 1987 | Built by the local land owner to access his private land on either side of the river. Built on the site of an ancient ford, and down stream of a ferry. It was designed by Simpson Coulson and Partners, Stockton. | |||
| Over Dinsdale Bridge | 1830s | The present deck of bridge dates from 1956, placed on top of the original stone columns. Before that it had been a toll-bridge operated by the Over Dinsdale Estate. |
| Crossing | Photo | Opened | Notes | Coordinates | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yarm Viaduct | 15 May 1852 | North TransPennine Line | |||
| Yarm Bridge | 1400s[38] | A67 road | |||
| Preston Pipe Bridge | 1959 | Water pipe | |||
| Jubilee Bridge | 20 Apr 2002 | Carrying Queen Elizabeth Way | |||
| Surtees Bridge | 3 Dec 2007 | A66 road | |||
| Surtees Rail Bridge | 2009 | Tees Valley Line | |||
| Victoria Bridge | 20 Jun 1887 | A1130 road | |||
| Teesquay Millennium Footbridge | 20 Dec 2000 | Footbridge | |||
| Princess of Wales Bridge | 23 Sep 1992 | Carrying Teesdale Boulevard | |||
| Infinity Bridge | 16 May 2009 | Foot and cycle | |||
| Tees Barrage | 22 Apr 1995 | Road, cycle and foot | |||
| Tees Viaduct | Nov 1975 | A19 road | |||
| Tees Newport Bridge | 28 Feb 1934 | A1032 road | |||
| Middlesbrough Transporter Bridge | 17 Oct 1911 | A178 road |