Image ID: 08172

Underneath the arches of the Muskham Bridge over the river Trent

Courtesy of Reg Baker

A6065 'Great North Road' - River Trent
South Muskham
England

South Muskham Bridge once formed part of the Great North Road. It crosses Newark's western branch of the river Trent. The present Muskham Bridge, built by Nottinghamshire County Council, was opened on 24th November 1922 by the Duke of Portland. The previous bridge on the site had been built in 1652, although by the 20th century (not surprisingly) had become incapable of carrying the great increase in motor vehicle traffic which occurred after the First World War. The site chosen for the new bridge was a little way to the east of the old structure, thus enabling the road approaches to be improved: the approach gradients on either side are 1 in 100. The new bridge consisted of two arch spans of reinforced concrete and two short girder flood openings, one at each side. It is a skew bridge, built at an angle of 60 degrees to the line of the river. The main arches have a span of 100ft with a rise of approximately 9ft 6 ins: The flood openings each have a span of 25ft. The foundations of the abutment and pier rest on the Keuper Marl, 24ft below the level of the springing of the arches. The pier in the centre of the river is of mass concrete, having a foundation 12ft wide and 65ft long in the direction of the stream; the width of the pier being 10ft, and finished at each end with a cut-water. The width of the bridge between parapets is 40ft, having a carriageway width of 28ft and two 6ft wide footpaths. The two main spans are each constructed of four arch ribs of rectangular section, reinforced with round steel bars. The bridge was designed to carry a moving load of 60 tons. Contractors for the works were Messrs Walter Scott & Middleton Ltd of Westminster. The general design is plain, but graceful, the only ornamentation being the treatment of parapets which are of Stancliffe Stone from Darley Dale in Derbyshire.

Date: 01/06/1984

Organisation Reference: NCCE001980

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