Union Chain Bridge
{{Short description|Suspension bridge over the River Tweed, UK}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox bridge
| name = Union Bridge
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| image = Union Chain Bridge between England and Scotland, 2019.jpg
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| caption = The bridge from the north on the Scottish bank
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| crosses = River Tweed
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| architect =
| designer = Captain Samuel Brown
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| material = wrought iron ({{small|original}})
sandstone ashlar
steel ({{small|modern upgrade}})
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| spans = 1
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| life = 1871: bridge deck replaced
1902: additional cables added
1974: bridge refurbished
2020:complete restoration
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| begin = 1819
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| open = {{start date and age|1820|07|26|df=y}}
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| coordinates = {{coord|55.7525|-2.107|display=inline,title}}
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The Union Chain Bridge or Union Bridge is a suspension bridge that spans the River Tweed between Horncliffe, Northumberland, England and Fishwick, Berwickshire, Scotland. It is {{convert|4|mi|spell=in}} upstream of Berwick-upon-Tweed.{{cite web|title=The Union Chain Bridge|url=https://museumsnorthumberland.org.uk/project/union-chain-bridge-project/the-union-chain-bridge|publisher=Museums Northumberland|access-date=1 September 2021}} When it opened in 1820 it was the longest wrought iron suspension bridge in the world with a span of {{convert|449|ft}}, and the first vehicular bridge of its type in the United Kingdom. Although work started on the Menai Suspension Bridge earlier, the Union Bridge was completed first. The suspension bridge, which is a Category A listed building in Scotland,{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB13645|desc=Union Suspension Bridge (that part in Scotland)|cat=A|access-date=27 March 2019}} is now the oldest to be still carrying road traffic.
The bridge is also a Grade I listed building in England{{NHLE|num = 1042214|desc = Union Suspension Bridge (that part in England)|access-date = 23 March 2015}} and an International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark.{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Phil |date=25 July 2020 |title=Union Chain Bridge gets international badge of honour to mark bicentenary |url=https://www.scotsman.com/heritage-and-retro/heritage/union-chain-bridge-gets-international-badge-honour-mark-bicentenary-2923973 |work=The Scotsman |access-date=20 August 2022}} It lies on Sustrans Route 1 and the Pennine Cycleway. Its chains are represented on the Flag of Berwickshire.
History
File:Construction of the Union Bridge over the Tweed by Alexander Nasmyth.jpg {{circa|1820}}]]
Before the opening of the Union Bridge, crossing the river at this point involved an {{convert|11|mi|km|adj=on}} round trip via Berwick downstream or a {{convert|20|mi|km|adj=on}} trip via Coldstream upstream. (Ladykirk and Norham Bridge did not open until 1888.) The Tweed was forded in the vicinity of the bridge site, but the route was impassable during periods of high water. The Berwick and North Durham Turnpike Trust took on responsibility for improving matters by issuing a specification for a bridge.
=Construction=
The bridge was designed by an Royal Navy officer, Captain Samuel Brown. Brown joined the Navy in 1795, and seeing the need for an improvement on the hemp ropes used, which frequently failed with resulting loss to shipping, he employed blacksmiths to create experimental wrought iron chains. {{HMS|Penelope|1798|6}} was fitted with iron rigging in 1806, and in a test voyage proved successful enough that in 1808, with his cousin Samuel Lenox, he set up a company that would become Brown Lenox & Co. Brown left the Navy in 1812, and in 1813 he built a prototype suspension bridge of {{convert|105|ft}} span, using {{convert|296|st|kg}} of iron. It was sufficiently strong to support a carriage, and John Rennie and Thomas Telford reported favourably upon it.{{cite book|last=Drewry|first=Charles Stewart|title=A Memoir on Suspension Bridges|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tLywBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA32|year=2014|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-1-108-07053-9|page=32}}
Brown took out a patent in 1816 for a method of manufacturing chains, followed by a patent titled Construction of a Bridge by the Formation and Uniting of its Component Parts in July 1817.{{cite book|title=The Literary Panorama, and National Register|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=diUFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PT521|volume=7|year=1818|page=521}} In around 1817, Brown proposed a {{convert|1000|ft}} span bridge over the River Mersey at Runcorn, but this bridge was not built. It is not known why Brown became involved with the Union Bridge project, but agreed to take on the work based on a specification dated September 1818.
Brown knew little of masonry, and Rennie did this aspect of the work.{{cite book|last=Skempton|first=A. W.|title=A Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers in Great Britain and Ireland: 1500-1830|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jeOMfpYMOtYC&pg=PA86|year=2002|publisher=Thomas Telford|isbn=978-0-7277-2939-2|page=86}}
The bridge proposal received consent in July 1819, with the authority of the Berwick and Durham Roads and Tweed Bridges Act 1802 (42 Geo. 3. c. cxvii), and construction began on 2 August 1819.{{cite journal|last1=Miller|first1=Gordon|title=Union Chain Bridge: linking engineering|journal=Proceedings of the ICE - Civil Engineering|volume=159|issue=2|year=2006|pages=88–95|issn=0965-089X|doi=10.1680/cien.2006.159.2.88}}
The bridge, which has its western end in Scotland and its eastern end in England, was built with a single span of {{convert|449|ft}}.{{cite book|title=A Memoir of Suspension Bridges|url=https://archive.org/details/amemoirsuspensi01drewgoog|year=1832|publisher=Longmans, Rees, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman|pages=[https://archive.org/details/amemoirsuspensi01drewgoog/page/n55 37]–41}} There is a sandstone pier on the Scottish side, while the English side has a sandstone tower built into the side of the river bluffs that support the bridge's chains. The Scottish side has a straight approach road, but across the river, the road turns sharply south due to the river bank's steep sides.{{Google maps |url=https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@55.7525494,-2.1068256,17.92z |title=Union Bridge |access-date=20 July 2016}}
It opened on 26 July 1820, with an opening ceremony attended by the celebrated Scottish civil engineer Robert Stevenson among others. Captain Brown tested the bridge in a curricle towing twelve carts before a crowd of about 700 spectators crossed. Until 1885, tolls were charged for crossing the bridge; the toll cottage on the English side was demolished in 1955.
=Usage=
File:UnionBridgeLogo.jpg: "United, Strength is Yet Stronger")]]
With the abolition of turnpike tolls in 1883, maintenance of the bridge passed to the Tweed Bridges Trust. When the trust was wound up the bridge became the responsibility of Scottish Borders Council and Northumberland County Council and is now maintained by the latter.{{Cite web|url=http://www.unionbridgefriends.com/history/|title=History – Friends of the Union Chain Bridge}}
In addition to the 1902 addition of cables, the bridge has been strengthened and refurbished on many occasions. The bridge deck was substantially renewed in 1871, and again in 1974, with the chains reinforced at intervals throughout its life.
Maintenance and restoration
File:Temporary hanger on the Tweed Bridge.jpg
The bridge was closed to motor vehicles for several months during 2007 due to one of the bridge hangers breaking.{{Cite web|url=https://docs.planning.org.uk/20210817/231/QXRKPRNTHV100/prd2e0jatg8ho1sm.pdf|title=Union Chain Bridge River Tweed: Union Chain Bridge River Tweed Proposed Conservation & Structural Repairs Heritage, Design & Access Statement for replacement deck surface material|access-date=20 August 2022}} In December 2008 the bridge was closed to traffic as a result of a landslide.{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/tyne/7769250.stm | work=BBC News | title=Bridge is closed due to landslide | date=6 December 2008 | access-date=26 May 2010}}
In March 2013 there was a proposal to close the bridge because there was a lack of funds to maintain it.{{cite news|url=http://www.scotsman.com/scotland-on-sunday/scotland/union-bridge-on-border-crossing-set-to-close-1-2818968|title=Union Bridge on Border crossing set to close - Scotland - Scotsman.com|work=The Scotsman|access-date=10 March 2013}} In 2013, the bridge was placed on Historic England's Heritage at Risk register.{{cite news | title = Union Chain Bridge work secures increased funding support | publisher = BBC News Online | date = 16 August 2017 | url = https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-40947374 | access-date = 16 August 2017}} In October 2014, local enthusiasts and activists started a campaign to have the bridge fully restored in time for its bicentenary in 2020.{{Cite web|url=http://www.scotsman.com/lifestyle/heritage/bid-to-save-union-chain-bridge-for-bicentenary-1-3585240|title=Bid to save Union Chain Bridge for bicentenary - The Scotsman}}
In March 2017 Scottish Borders Council and Northumberland County Council agreed to contribute £550,000 each towards a restoration project that was then expected to cost £5 million.{{cite news|url=https://www.berwickshirenews.co.uk/news/union-chain-bridges-aps5m-restoration-2103804|title=Union Chain Bridge's £5m restoration|date = 8 March 2017|access-date = 6 September 2020}} Between then and August 2020 further pledges were made by both councils, the National Lottery Heritage Fund{{cite news|url=http://www.publicsectorexecutive.com/Public-Sector-News/unionchainbridgesaved|title=Union Chain Bridge receives £3.14m National Lottery funding|date = 18 September 2019|access-date = 17 December 2019}} and Historic England.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-53734977?fbclid=IwAR3IGOX-GW_lPc9tXoG86oyeh0XH3YgGXtTCwZUdfL46ElVDbPtWZqDaqF8|title=Union Chain Bridge repair work gets £250k boost|date = 11 August 2020|access-date = 6 September 2020}} The work started in October 2020 and was expected to cost £10.5 million and take around 18 months.{{cite news|url=https://www.northumberland.gov.uk/News/2020/Aug/Work-begins-on-Union-Chain-Bridge-restoration.aspx|title=Work begins on Union Chain Bridge restoration|date = 20 August 2020|access-date = 6 September 2020}} The chains were cut in March 2021 and the restored bridge was due to re-open in early 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-56359421 |title=Union Chain Bridge: Scotland-England link removed for overhaul |website=BBC News |date=11 March 2021 |accessdate=11 March 2021}} The bridge reopened on 17 April 2023.{{Cite news |last=Rinaldi |first=Giancarlo |date=17 April 2023 |title=Union Chain Bridge linking Scotland and England reopens |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-65274771}} In July 2023, the bridge was designated as a Historic Civil Engineering Landmark by the American Society of Civil Engineers.{{Cite web |title=Union Bridge |url=https://www.asce.org/about-civil-engineering/history-and-heritage/historic-landmarks/union-chain-bridge |access-date=8 July 2023 |website=American Society of Civil Engineers |language=en-US}}{{Cite news |date=8 July 2023 |title=Union Chain Bridge recognised as international landmark |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-tyne-66136723 |access-date=8 July 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20200725065551/http://unionchainbridge.org/ The website of the Union Chain Bridge: Crossing Borders, Inspiring Communities project.]}}
- [http://www.unionbridgefriends.com/ The website of the Friends of the Union Chain Bridge.]
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4j6yutdIuk&feature=youtu.be Film voerage and bridge history]
{{Commons category|Union Chain Bridge}}
{{UK suspension bridges}}
{{River Tweed}}
Category:Suspension bridges in England
Category:Bridges in the Scottish Borders
Category:Bridges across the River Tweed
Category:Grade I listed bridges
Category:Bridges completed in 1820
Category:History of Northumberland
Category:Scheduled monuments in Northumberland
Category:Category A listed buildings in the Scottish Borders
Category:Listed bridges in Scotland
Category:Historic Civil Engineering Landmarks
Category:Anglo-Scottish border
Category:Former toll bridges in England
Category:Former toll bridges in Scotland