Porthill Bridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Porthill Bridge |
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Porthill Bridge, looking downstream,
the Boat House PH is on the right |
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| Coordinates | 52°42′29″N 2°45′50″W / 52.708°N 2.764°W |
| Carries | Footpath |
| Crosses | River Severn |
| Locale | Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Suspension bridge |
| History | |
| Constructed by | David Rowell & Co. |
| Construction begin | 1922 |
| Opened | 18 January 1923 |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | No |
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The Porthill Bridge, also known as the Port Hill Footbridge, is a special kind of bridge called a suspension bridge. It's only for people walking and crosses the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England.
This bridge connects the Porthill area with the Quarry park and the town centre. Near the Porthill side, you'll find the Boathouse pub and Becks Field. Both the Quarry Park and Becks Field are large, open green spaces. They are kept free from buildings because they often flood.
You might notice the bridge wiggles a bit when people walk on it. This has been happening since it was built! Most local people think this little wiggle is part of the bridge's charm.
Building the Porthill Bridge
Before the Porthill Bridge was built, people used a ferry to cross the river at this spot. The bridge was constructed in 1922 by a company called David Rowell & Co.. You can still see one of the old posts where the ferry cable was attached on the north side of the river, just a few metres west of the bridge.
The Porthill Bridge officially opened on January 18, 1923. The total cost to build it was £2,600. A big part of this money, £2,000, was paid for by the Shropshire Horticultural Society.
Bridge Refurbishment
From March to July 2012, the Porthill Bridge was closed for important repairs and updates. This work cost £575,000. During this time, the entire bridge was repainted. The old timber deck, which is the part you walk on, was completely replaced with a new one.
While the bridge was closed, a temporary passenger ferry helped people cross the river. This ferry ran between the Quarry and the Boat House pub. A single trip for an adult cost 50p.
