Structure Name: Armstrong Bridge

Description:
 

'Eight equal wrought-iron lattice girder 70 foot spans, to give an overall length between abutments of 552 feet (168m), supported by seven pairs of square wrought-iron box-section columns, cross-braced with wrought-iron ties and resting on rock-faced sandstone piers; abutments of similar stone construction. What makes it special are the rocker bearings at foot and head of each column, the sliding bearings at the central columns and the fact that each girder is separately supported, all to provide articulation to compensate for any mine subsidence and thermal variation; clearly a wise precaution for in the 1970s a trial boring between the east columns was unhappily directly on a mine shaft! It provided high level crossing of Jesmond Dene linking Jesmond and Heaton, and at a maximum height of 65 feet (20m) above the dene it gave a splendid view of the landscape which Armstrong transformed into a park before donating it and the bridge to the corporation of Newcastle. Pedestrianised in 1960 it has subsequently become the setting for a successful Sunday arts and crafts market. Threatened with demolition in the 1970s but rescued in the 1980s thanks to a late-discovered underspend by central government in 1982. Columns replaced with steel replicas, cast-iron pilasters replaced in plastic etc. An even more welcome series of repairs to the bridge was undertaken by the City Engineer in 1993/94.'
[Stafford Linsley's annotation]
 

Extant: Yes

Legal Status: Listed Building Grade II

Location: Jesmond, NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE

Eastings: 426320m (view map)

Northings: 566130m (view map)

Position Accuracy: 50m

Positional Confidence: Absolute Certainty

Structure Types Identified: FOOTBRIDGE, GIRDER BRIDGE, ROAD BRIDGE

Historical Background
 

'The Armstrong Bridge was quite a unique structure, designed and constructed 1876-78 by W. G. Armstrong & Co. with Messrs W. E. and F. Jackson as masonry contractors.'
[Stafford Linsley's annotation]
 

Chronology:

• 1876 - 1878   Design and construction of bridge.
      Entities Involved:
            Sir W.G. Armstrong & Company: Designed bridge.
• 1960   Bridge pedestrianised.
• 1993 - 1994   Bridge repaired.

Notes:

• Additional information about the structure type FOOTBRIDGE is available.
• Additional information about the structure type GIRDER BRIDGE is available.
• Additional information about the structure type ROAD BRIDGE is available.

References:

• Tyne and Wear SMR

The information displayed in this page has been derived from authoritative sources, including any referenced above. Although substantial efforts were made to verify this information, the SINE project cannot guarantee its correctness or completeness.

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