View source for Windsor Bridge

{{About|Windsor Bridge in England|the Windsor Bridge in Sydney|Windsor Bridge (New South Wales)|Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge in New Hampshire and Vermont|Cornish–Windsor Covered Bridge}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox Bridge
|bridge_name      = Windsor Bridge
|image            = Windsortownbridge.jpg
|image_size       = 280
|caption          = Windsor Bridge
|official_name    = Windsor Town Bridge
|carries          = [[Thames Path]], Pedestrians and cycles
|crosses          = [[River Thames]]
|locale           = [[Windsor, Berkshire]], England, UK
|maint            = [[Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead]]
|id               =
|designer         =
|design           = [[Arch bridge]]
|material         = Iron and granite
|spans            = 3
|pierswater       = 2
|mainspan         = 
|length           = 
|width            = 
|height           = {{convert|13|ft|2|in|m}}
|clearance        =
|below            = 
|traffic          =
|open             = {{start date|1824|06|01|df=y}}
|closed           =
|toll             = Abolished 1897
|map_cue          =
|map_image        =
|map_text         =
|map_width        =
|coordinates      = {{coord|51|29|09|N|0|36|30|W|region:GB_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
|lat              =
|long             =
|references       =<ref>River Thames Alliance. [https://web.archive.org/web/20080124114502/http://www.visitthames.co.uk/text.asp?PageId=320 Bridge heights on the River Thames.]</ref>
}}
The '''Windsor Bridge''' or '''Windsor Town Bridge''', an iron and granite [[arch bridge]] over the [[River Thames]], connects the towns of [[Windsor, Berkshire|Windsor]] and [[Eton, Berkshire|Eton]] in the English county of [[Berkshire]]. The [[Thames Path]] crosses the river here. The bridge carries pedestrian and cycle traffic, and crosses the Thames just above [[Romney Lock]]. It is a Grade II listed structure.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1117673|desc=  WINDSOR BRIDGE |accessdate= 11 June 2015}}</ref>

==History==
{{float right clear none|[[Image:Plaquewindsortownbridge.jpg|thumb|Plaque on Windsor Town Bridge.]]}}
It is likely that the first bridge on this site was built in the 12th century AD. By 1172 it is recorded that Osbert de Bray derived over £4{{Fix|text=per year?}} from tolls levied on vessels passing beneath the bridge. In 1242, permission was granted for oak trees to be felled in Windsor Forest for the purpose of constructing a new bridge between Windsor and Eton. By 1819 the wooden bridge, presumably rebuilt many times over its life, had deteriorated and it was decided to build a new bridge in new materials.

==Description==
[[Image:Windsor Castle from the Bridge Valentine 1866.jpg|thumb|left|Windsor Bridge in 1866.]]
Construction on the current bridge was started in 1822 and it opened on 1 June 1824. The bridge has three [[arch]]es, each comprising seven [[cast iron]] segments, and is supported in mid-stream by two granite piers.

Built as a road bridge, tolls were originally levied on traffic crossing the bridge. Following protests and a court case, ''The Mayor &c. of New Windsor and ano. v Joseph Taylor'', which went to [[Appellate Committee of the House of Lords|the highest court at the time]], these tolls were scrapped in 1897. In the 20th century the bridge carried the [[A332 road|A332]], the busy main road between [[Slough, Berkshire|Slough]] and Windsor.

In 1970, cracks were discovered in some of the cast iron segments, and despite local protests, but with almost equal support, it was decided to close the bridge to all motorised traffic. All such traffic between Windsor and Eton must now travel via the [[Queen Elizabeth Bridge, Windsor|Queen Elizabeth Bridge]] on the Royal Windsor Way (formerly the Windsor and Eton relief road)<ref>{{cite news |title=Windsor and Eton relief road is given royal name |work=BBC News |date=26 June 2012 |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-18601507 |accessdate=21 September 2020}}</ref> {{convert|0.25|mi}} to the west. For those approaching from [[Old Windsor]] or [[Runnymede]], the [[Albert Bridge, Datchet|Albert Bridge]] provides an alternative route via [[Datchet]]'s High Street.

In 2002 the bridge was refurbished, with repairs to the structure and new parapets including integral lighting. The bridge deck was replaced using [[Yorkstone]] and seating areas provided. The bridge remains in use by pedestrians and cyclists only; it provides an excellent walking route from central Windsor to Eton's High Street, and a good viewing spot for both the river and [[Windsor Castle]].

===Proximity to railway stations===
{{float right clear none|{{Annotated image
| image = cmglee_Windsor_Castle_aerial_view.jpg
| image-width = 600
| image-left = 0
| image-top = 0
| width = 200
| height = 100
| float = right
| annotations = 
| caption = Aerial view of the Windsor Bridge (left) and the Riverside railway station (right)
}}}}
About {{convert|80|m}} east of the bridge is [[Windsor & Eton Riverside railway station]], served by [[South Western Railway (train operating company)|South Western Railway]] trains to [[London Waterloo railway station|London Waterloo]], while [[Windsor & Eton Central railway station]], up the hill {{convert|200|m}} to the south-west, is served by [[Great Western Railway (train operating company)|Great Western Railway]] trains to [[Slough railway station|Slough]] for connecting services to [[Paddington railway station|London Paddington]].

== See also ==
*[[Crossings of the River Thames]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* The Royal Windsor website. ''[https://www.thamesweb.co.uk/windsor/windsorbridges/winbridge.html The Town Bridge, Windsor, 1824]''. Retrieved 16 January 2006.
* Windsor Berkshire website. ''[https://web.archive.org/web/20100305111447/http://www.windsor-berkshire.co.uk/eton_bridge.php Eton Bridge, Windsor]''. Retrieved 17 March 2010.

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{{River item box
|table=start
|River=[[River Thames]]
|upstream=[[Windsor Railway Bridge]] (rail)|downstream=[[Black Potts Railway Bridge]] (rail)
|location = SU967772
}}{{River item box
|table=end
|River=[[Thames Path]]
|upstream = Northern bank<br>[[Maidenhead Bridge]]
|downstream = Southern bank<br>[[Victoria Bridge, Datchet|Victoria Bridge]]}}

[[Category:Bridges across the River Thames]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges across the River Thames]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1824]]
[[Category:Bridges in Berkshire]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Windsor, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Cast-iron arch bridges in England]]
[[Category:Former toll bridges in England]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in Berkshire]]
[[Category:Eton, Berkshire]]
[[Category:Grade II listed bridges]]