Henley Bridge | |
---|---|
Coordinates | 51°32′15″N0°54′01″W / 51.5375°N 0.9003°W |
Carries | A4130 road, Thames Path |
Crosses | River Thames |
Locale | Henley-on-Thames |
Heritage status | Grade I listed structure |
Characteristics | |
Design | Arch |
Material | Stone |
Height | 14 feet 3 inches (4.34 m) [1] |
No. of spans | 5 |
Piers in water | 4 |
History | |
Opened | 1786 |
Location | |
Henley Bridge is a road bridge built in 1786 at Henley-on-Thames over the River Thames, between Oxfordshire and Berkshire. The bridge has five elliptical stone arches, and links Hart Street in Henley with White Hill (designated the A4130) leading up a steep hill to Remenham Hill. It crosses the Thames on the reach between Hambleden Lock and Marsh Lock, carrying the Thames Path across the river. It is a Grade I listed building. [2]
This point of the Thames has been used for crossing since ancient times. The current bridge replaced an earlier wooden structure, the foundations of which can be seen in the basement of the Henley Royal Regatta headquarters nearby on the Berkshire side. However, the remains of two stone arches on both sides of the river indicate the existence of an even more ancient stone bridge prior to the timber structure. This bridge has been identified by some authors as the bridge which the Romans crossed pursuing the Britons in 43AD, as described by Dion Cassius. This hypothesis is refuted by many other authors. [3] The earliest recording of a bridge is in the Patent Rolls of 1232. In 1354, two granaries were leased on the bridge, which was timber on stone piers and several chapels are recorded. It was carried away in the great flood of 1774, [4] but part of the eastern abutment is built on the intact easternmost span of the original 12th-century bridge. [2]
It was originally designed in 1781 by William Hayward of Shrewsbury, who died in 1782 before the construction of the bridge had begun. [5] [6] [7] The bridge was built by the Oxford mason John Townesend. [5] at a cost of approximately £10,000. [7]
Sculptures of Isis and Tamesis by Anne Seymour Damer are at the keystone of the central arch on each side of the bridge. [8] Tamesis faces the north (downstream section of the bridge) and Isis the south (upstream section). [6] [7] The original models for these can be seen in the Henley Gallery at the nearby River and Rowing Museum.
In June 1829, the bridge was the finishing line for the first Oxford and Cambridge university boat race. The start of the course was 2.25-mile (3.62 km) downstream at Hambleden Lock. [9] Oxford won the race, with an estimated 20,000 spectators in attendance. [10] [11]
In August 2010 the bridge was damaged by a boat named Crazy Love. A £200,000 repair programme commenced the following year [12]
Strings of white LED bulbs were attached to the Grade I listed crossing in March 2018 by artist Clive Hemsley. This was done without permission from the district and county councils and the artist was instructed to remove the lights. He claimed to have received scores of messages of support from people wanting the lights to remain permanently, including one from the Mayor of Henley. [13] The artist subsequently applied for planning permission, which was refused. The District Council conservation team stated: "As previously advised, the conservation team maintain concerns that this proposal is not appropriate to the special historic and architectural interest of the listed building and fails to recognise the reasons for its listing at such a high grade. It would similarly pose an alteration to its setting which would not serve to enhance its interest or that of its setting, the Henley Conservation Area. The scheme remains insufficiently justified and is unlikely to be able to be able to demonstrate a sufficient level of public benefits to overcome harm to such a significant building." [14]
Leander Club, one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, [15] is also close to the bridge on the Berkshire side. [6] On the Oxfordshire (Henley) side are the Angel on the Bridge riverside public house and the Red Lion Hotel, an old coaching inn. St Mary the Virgin, the main civic church in Henley with its tower dominating the view, is also close by.
The River Thames, known alternatively in parts as the River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At 215 miles (346 km), it is the longest river entirely in England and the second-longest in the United Kingdom, after the River Severn.
Henley-on-Thames is a town and civil parish on the River Thames, in the South Oxfordshire district, in Oxfordshire, England, 9 miles (14 km) northeast of Reading, 7 miles (11 km) west of Maidenhead, 23 miles (37 km) southeast of Oxford and 37 miles (60 km) west of London, near the tripoint of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire. The population at the 2021 Census was 12,186.
Putney Bridge is a Grade II listed bridge over the River Thames in west London, linking Putney on the south side with Fulham to the north. Before the first bridge was built in 1729, a ferry had shuttled between the two banks.
Hambleden is a small village and civil parish in southwest Buckinghamshire, England. The village is around 4 miles (6.4 km) west of Marlow, and around 3 miles (4.8 km) northeast of Henley-on-Thames in Oxfordshire.
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held annually on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. It was established on 26 March 1839. It differs from the three other regattas rowed over approximately the same course, Henley Women's Regatta, Henley Masters Regatta, and Henley Town and Visitors' Regatta, each of which is an entirely separate event.
Leander Club, founded in 1818, is one of the oldest rowing clubs in the world, and the oldest non-academic club. It is based in Remenham in Berkshire, England and adjoins Henley-on-Thames. Only three other surviving clubs were founded prior to Leander: Brasenose College Boat Club and Jesus College Boat Club and Westminster School Boat Club, founded in 1813.
Marsh Lock is a lock and weir situated on the River Thames in England, about 1 mile upstream of Henley Bridge in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire. The lock is close to the Berkshire bank, but accessed from the Oxfordshire side via two long walkways, the downstream one being near Mill Meadows. The first pound lock was built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773.
Sonning Bridge is a road bridge across the River Thames at Sonning, Berkshire. It links Sonning with Sonning Eye (Oxfordshire) and crosses the Thames on the reach above Shiplake Lock, just short of Sonning Lock. It is a brick arch bridge completed in 1775, to replace an earlier wooden bridge. The bridge has been the subject of many paintings and prints by artists and is a Grade II listed building.
Hambleden Lock is a lock with a long weir situated on the River Thames in England, about 2 miles downstream of Henley Bridge. The lock is on the Berkshire bank between Aston and Remenham. Built by the Thames Navigation Commission in 1773, the lock is named after the village of Hambleden, a mile (1.5 km) to the north.
Hambleden Mill is an historic watermill on the River Thames at Mill End, near the village of Hambleden in Buckinghamshire, England. It is linked by a footbridge to Hambleden Lock, which is on the Berkshire side of the river. It was Grade II listed in 1955 and has now been converted into flats. Alongside the mill is Hambleden Marina which occupies two islands. Along the river frontage to the south-east is the site of a Roman Villa.
Remenham is a village and civil parish on the Berkshire bank of the River Thames opposite Henley-on-Thames in southern England. It is particularly well known for the steep approach, known as Remenham Hill or White Hill, into Henley.
The Thames is one of the main rowing rivers in Europe. Several annual competitions are held along its course, including the Henley Royal Regatta, The Boat Race and other long-distance events, called Head of the River races (Heads).
Sambrooke Freeman FRSA was a member of the prominent Freeman family of Fawley Court near Henley-on-Thames, England. He was a Member of Parliament, for Pontefract in Yorkshire from 1754–61 and Bridport in Dorset from 1768–74.
The 1st Boat Race took place at Henley-on-Thames on 10 June 1829. The race came about following a challenge laid down to the University of Oxford by University of Cambridge "to row a match at or near London, each in an eight-oared boat during the ensuing Easter vacation". Oxford wore dark blue jerseys while Cambridge wore "white with pink waistbands". In front of a crowd estimated to be around 20,000, and according to the official record, Oxford won the race "easily" in a time of 14 minutes 30 seconds. The Boat Race became an annual fixture, and as of 2022, has been contested 167 times.
The 5th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 14 April 1841. It was the fourth of the University Boat Races, a side-by-side rowing competition between the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge, to be contested in London. The race was held between Westminster Bridge and Putney Bridge and was won by Cambridge, whose crew featured two pairs of brothers rowing, who defeated Oxford by a distance of 22 lengths in a time of 32 minutes and 30 seconds. The victory took the overall record in the event to 4–1 in Cambridge's favour.
The 6th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 11 June 1842. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. In a race substantially interrupted by river traffic, Oxford beat Cambridge by a distance of 4+1⁄2 lengths.
The 7th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 17 March 1845. The Boat Race is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. It was the first time the event was contested along The Championship Course, from Putney to Mortlake. The race was won by Cambridge who beat Oxford by a distance of ten lengths.
The 15th Boat Race took place on the River Thames on 27 March 1858. Typically held annually, the event is a side-by-side rowing race between crews from the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge. The 1858 race, disrupted by poor rowing and a collision with a barge, was won by Cambridge, who defeated Oxford by 7+1⁄2 lengths in a time of 21 minutes 23 seconds.
The 25th Boat Race between crews from the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge took place on the River Thames on 4 April 1868. Oxford won by six lengths in a time of 20 minutes and 56 seconds, taking the overall record to 15–10 in their favour. Oxford cox Charles Tottenham became the first person in the history of the event to win five Boat Races, and Cambridge saw their first non-British rower compete.