Hill's Bridge, Bristol
NO LONGER EXTANT.
Hill's or Hills Bridge was a cast iron arch bridge built by the Coalbrookdale Co to cross the River Avon New Cut.
A short distance dowstream was the similar and contemporary Harford's Bridge
Hill's Bridge collapsed in 1855 as a result of being struck by a barge. Photos here.
1820 'Either owing to barge striking against it, to the sudden breaking up of the frost, or perhaps both, one of the iron ribs of Hill’s-Bridge, leading to Totterdown, gave way on Tuesday morning about eight o’clock, and carried with it the foot pavement, iron-railing, gas-pipes, &c. on the eastern side. The crash was tremendous a man and woman were passing at the time, but both escaped without injury.'[1]
1820 'Hill's Bridge. - We understand that the injury sustained at Hill's Bridge, on Tuesday last, was occasioned by a barge, which, in coming down the river between eight and nine o'clock, A.M., struck against the north-east end of the bridge, vhereby one of the upper iron ribs was broken, and the foot-path on that side of the bridge destroyed. But we have the satisfaction to state that, by the measures immediately adopted by the Directors of the Dock-Company, the remainder of the bridge is made perfectly secure. A man and woman were passing at the time of the crash, but both escaped without injury. The morning-coaches from Bath and London were in conseqesence obstructed in their passage, and obliged to return through a new and unfinished road, which leads to Bedminster Bridge. Here one of the coaches going to London, from the unevenness of the road and the obstinacy of a waggon-driver, upset on the river-side. Two outside-passengers and the coachman were thrown down the steep bank, and would probably have perished in the river, which was runnng with increased velocity from the thaw, if a sack of oats, also thrown from the top of the coach, and which was impeded in its progress by a stone, had not providentially formed an obstruction within two feet of the water. No other materia injury was done: the crowd of spectators at the bridge immediately ran to render assistance; and the coach, being raised, proceeded on its journey.'[2].
A new bridge, Bath Bridge, was opened in 1910[3]. The steelwork was fabricated by the Motherwell Bridge Co. Site construction work was superintended by the Docks Engineers' Dept.[4]