Culham Bridge
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{{Use British English|date=January 2018}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name = Culham Bridge
|image = Old Culham Bridge - geograph.org.uk - 20000.jpg
|caption = Old Culham Bridge
|official_name =
|carries = Thames Path
|crosses = Swift Ditch
|locale = Abingdon, Oxfordshire
|maint = Oxfordshire County Council
|id =
|design = Arch bridge
|material = stone
|spans = Five
|pierswater =
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|below =
|traffic =
|begin =
|complete = 1422
|open =
|closed = 1927
|toll =
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|coordinates = {{coord|51.6584|-1.2772|region:GB_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title = {{visible anchor|Culham Bridge Act 1807}}
| type = Act
| parliament = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title = An Act for building a Bridge over the River Thames, from the Parish of Sutton Courtney, in the County of Berks, to the Parish of Culham, in the County of Oxford.
| year = 1807
| citation = 47 Geo. 3 Sess. 2. c. xliii
| introduced_commons =
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| royal_assent = 1 August 1807
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Culham Bridge is a medieval bridge crossing a present backwater of the River Thames in England at Culham, Oxfordshire, near the town of Abingdon. The bridge crosses Swift Ditch which was at one time the main navigation channel of the River Thames until Abingdon Lock was built in 1790. The bridge formerly carried the A415 road from Abingdon to Dorchester, Oxfordshire, but was superseded in 1928 by a modern road bridge.
It is a Grade II* listed building.{{cite web|url=http://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1368838|title= Culham Old Bridge|publisher= Historic England|accessdate= 26 December 2015}}
History
Culham Bridge was built of stone between 1416 and 1422 to replace an ancient ford called Culham Hythe by a religious body known as The Brotherhood of Christ (later Christ's Hospital) who subsequently looked after its upkeep.[http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=63766 Parishes: Culham, A History of the County of Oxford: Volume 7: Dorchester and Thame hundreds (1962), pp. 27-39. Date accessed: 11 February 2010] It was built as part of an improvement scheme, together with the two bridges at Abingdon and a causeway across Andersey Island. It is recorded that the completion of Abingdon Bridge severely damaged trade at Wallingford.Fred. S. Thacker The Thames Highway: Volume II Locks and Weirs 1920 - republished 1968 David & Charles
In the early 17th century the Oxford-Burcot Commission constructed a lock at the top of Swift Ditch to direct navigation under Culham Bridge and this remained the main route of the Thames until Abingdon Lock was built in 1790.
During the English Civil War the bridge had considerable strategic importance. After the Royalists left Abingdon in May 1644 the Parliamentarians seized Culham Bridge, and harried the royalist food convoys on the way to Oxford. The Royalists tried to recapture the bridge and demolish it in January 1645. This resulted in a skirmish on 11 January known as the battle of Culham Bridge. Sir Henry Gage "while boldly leading his men in a third assault on the enemy... was hit by a bullet and killed".Memorial in Christ Church Cathedral Oxford
In the 18th century the road was in a very bad state, leading to an act of Parliament{{which|date=July 2024}} for its improvement.[https://books.google.com/books?id=mCcJAAAAQAAJ&dq=%22Culham+Bridge%22&pg=PA215 Votes of the House of Commons (which were concerned with the Oxfordshire election) Published 1754 Original from Oxford University ] The bridge carried the main traffic until 1928, when the modern road bridge was built upstream of it and Culham Bridge became a pedestrian bridge.
During World War II two concrete pill boxes were built on the bridge, each weighing 250 tons and carrying anti-tank guns,[http://en.structurae.de/structures/data/index.cfm?ID=s0011330 Structurae database] and part of the parapet was removed to make way for a concrete platform. The bridge was subsequently restored and is classified as an ancient monument.
File:Culham Old Bridge (South Side).jpg|Old Culham Bridge (South Side)
File:Old Culham Bridge (North Side).jpg|Old Culham Bridge (North Side)
File:Foodpath Over Bridge (East Side).jpg|Footpath Over Bridge (East Side)
File:Footpath Over Old Culham Bridge (West Side).jpg|Footpath Over Bridge (West Side)
File:Old Culham Bridge with Cottage.jpg|Bridge and Cottage
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=65741&workid=33288&searchid=15756&tabview=subject Tate Gallery - Sketch of the bridge by JMW Turner]
Category:Bridges across the River Thames
Category:Bridges in Oxfordshire
Category:Bridges completed in the 15th century
Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1422
Category:Transport infrastructure completed in the 1420s
Category:Stone bridges in England
Category:Grade II* listed buildings in Oxfordshire