London bridges across the river Thames: 11 Westminster bridge

 

Westminster bridge

Westminster Bridge is a road and foot traffic bridge over the river, it is designated a Grade II* listed structure

the bridge is painted predominantly green, the same colour as the leather seats in the House of Commons which is on the side of the Palace of Westminster nearest the bridge, this is in contrast to Lambeth bridge (see tomorrow) which is red, the same colour as the seats in the House of Lords and is on the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament

 For over 600 years, the nearest bridge to London Bridge was at Kingston

a bridge at Westminster was proposed in 1664, but opposed by the Corporation of London and the watermen, despite further opposition in 1722 the scheme received parliamentary approval in 1736 the bridge was required for traffic from the expanding West End to the developing South London as well as to south coast ports

it was financed by private capital, lotteries and grants, Westminster bridge, designed by the Swiss architect Charles Labelye, was built between 1739-1750.

by the mid 19th century the bridge was subsiding badly and expensive to maintain and was replaced by the current bridge which was designed by Thomas Page and opened on May 24, 1862

with an overall length of 252 metres and a width of 26 metres, it is a seven-arch wrought iron bridge with Gothic detailing by Charles Barry (the architect of the Palace of Westminster. in 2005-2007 it underwent a complete refurbishment, including replacing the iron fascias and repainting the whole bridge.

William Wordsworth wrote the sonnet Composed upon Westminster Bridge, September 3, 1802:

 Earth has not anything to show more fair:
Dull would he be of soul who could pass by
A sight so touching in its majesty:
This City now doth, like a garment, wear
The beauty of the morning; silent, bare,
Ships, towers, domes, theatres, and temples lie
Open unto the fields, and to the sky;
All bright and glittering in the smokeless air.
Never did sun more beautifully steep
In his first splendour, valley, rock, or hill;
Ne'er saw I, never felt, a calm so deep!
The river glideth at his own sweet will:
Dear God! the very houses seem asleep;
And all that mighty heart is lying still!