View source for Southwark Bridge

{{Short description|Bridge in London}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2014}}
{{Infobox bridge|
|image       = Southwark Bridge, River Thames, London, England.jpg
|bridge_name = Southwark Bridge
|caption     = 
|official_name = 
|locale      = [[Southwark]], London
|carries     = A300 road
|crosses     = [[River Thames]]
|preceded    = [[Millennium Bridge, London|Millennium Bridge]]
|followed    = [[Cannon Street Railway Bridge]]
|maint       = [[Bridge House Estates]],<br>[[City of London Corporation]]
|open        = {{Start date and age|df=yes|1921|6|6}}
|below       =
|traffic     = 
|design      = 
|toll        = 
|mainspan    = {{convert|240|ft|m|1}}
|length      = {{convert|800|ft|m|1}}
|width       = {{convert|55|ft|m|1}}
|heritage    = [[Listed building|Grade II listed structure]]
}}

'''Southwark Bridge''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|ʌ|ð|ər|k|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-Southwark.wav}} {{respell|SUDH|ərk}})<ref>{{cite dictionary|entry=Southwark|title=The Columbia Lippincott Gazetteer of the World|year=1952|location=New York |publisher=Columbia University Press}}</ref> is an [[arch bridge]] in London, for traffic linking the district of [[Southwark]] and the [[City of London|City]] across the [[River Thames]]. Besides when others are closed for temporary repairs, it has the least traffic of the [[List of bridges in London|Thames bridges in London]].

==History==
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Southwark Bridge Act 1811
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for erecting a Bridge over the River Thames from or near the Three Cranes in the Parishes of Saint James Garlick Hythe and Saint Martin Vintry, in the City of London, to the opposite Bank of the said River, in the Parish of Saint Saviour, in the County of Surrey; and for making proper Streets and Avenues to communicate therewith.
| year                  = 1811
| citation              = [[51 Geo. 3]]. c. clxvi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 15 June 1811
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge 1813|Southwark Bridge 1816|Southwark Bridge Act 1820|Southwark Bridge Act 1823|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1824|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo3/51/166/pdfs/ukla_18110166_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1813}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to amend an Act, passed in the Fifty first Year of His present Majesty, for erecting a Bridge over the River Thames, from the City of London to the opposite Bank in the Parish of Saint Saviour, in the County of Surry.
| year                  = 1813
| citation              = [[53 Geo. 3]]. c. lxxxvii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 21 May 1813
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo3/53/87/pdfs/ukla_18130087_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1816}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to amend Two Acts of His present Majesty for erecting a Bridge over the River Thames, from the City of London to the opposite Bank in the County of Surrey.
| year                  = 1816
| citation              = [[56 Geo. 3]]. c. xi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 11 April 1816
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo3/56/11/pdfs/ukla_18160011_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1818}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for enabling the Southwark Bridge Company to raise a further Sum of Money, and to amend the Acts for building the said Bridge.
| year                  = 1818
| citation              = [[58 Geo. 3]]. c. lxviii
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 23 May 1818
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo3/58/68/pdfs/ukla_18180068_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1820}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to alter and amend several Acts for erecting a Bridge over the River Thames from the City of London to the opposite Bank in the County of Surrey.
| year                  = 1820
| citation              = [[1 Geo. 4]]. c. xlix
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 8 July 1820
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1823|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/1/49/pdfs/ukla_18200049_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1823}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to amend several Acts for erecting a Bridge over the River Thames, from the City of London to the opposite Bank in the Parish of Saint Saviour in the County of Surrey.
| year                  = 1823
| citation              = [[4 Geo. 4]]. c. cxvi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 27 June 1823
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811|Southwark Bridge Act 1820}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/4/116/pdfs/ukla_18230116_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1824}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to amend the Acts relating to the Southwark Bridge.
| year                  = 1824
| citation              = [[5 Geo. 4]]. c. clv
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 24 June 1824
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = amended
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = 
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = {{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1828}}
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act to authorize the Relinquishment of the Care and Management of a Road set out by the Southwark Bridge Company to the Trustees of the Surrey and Sussex Roads.
| year                  = 1828
| citation              = [[9 Geo. 4]]. c. cxi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 19 June 1828
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = {{ubli|Southwark Bridge Act 1811|Southwark Bridge Act 1813|Southwark Bridge Act 1816|Southwark Bridge Act 1818|Southwark Bridge Act 1820|Southwark Bridge Act 1823|Southwark Bridge Approaches Act 1824}}
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = current
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Geo4/9/111/pdfs/ukla_18280111_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}

[[File:Completion of Southwark Bridge by John Rennie 1819.jpg|thumb|left|Completion of Southwark Bridge by John Rennie 1819]]

In 1811 the private Southwark Bridge Company was formed, and authorised by the '''{{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Act 1811}}''' ([[51 Geo. 3]]. c. clxvi) to build a bridge across the Thames.<ref name=SurveyofLondon>{{cite book |url=http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=65326 |title=Survey of London |volume=22: Bankside |publisher=London County Council |location=London |editor-first1=Howard |editor-last1=Roberts |editor-first2=Walter H. |editor-last2=Godfrey |year=1950 |pages=88–90 |access-date=5 September 2013 |via=[[British History Online]]}}</ref><ref name=HistoryofLondon>{{cite web |url=https://www.thehistoryoflondon.co.uk/the-original-southwark-bridge/ |title=The original Southwark Bridge |website=The History of London}}</ref>

Construction of the first Southwark Bridge, designed by [[John Rennie the Elder]], commenced in 1814, and it opened in 1819, having cost £700,000 to build, equivalent to £{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|700000|1819|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation/year|UK}}.<ref name=SurveyofLondon/><ref name=HistoryofLondon/>{{Inflation/fn|UK}} Fifty people lost their lives during the construction.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://londonist.com/2015/04/kaboom |title=The Day Part Of Southwark Bridge Exploded |first=Matt |last=Brown |website=Londonist}}</ref>

On the 1818 Cary map of London, it was labelled as Queen Street Bridge. All subsequent maps label it as Southwark Bridge.{{cn|date=October 2024}} The bridge consisted of three large cast-iron spans supported by granite piers. The bridge was notable for having the longest cast iron span, {{convert|240|ft|m|0}}, ever made. Unsurprisingly, it became known colloquially as "The Iron Bridge" as mentioned inter alia in Charles Dickens' "Little Dorrit". The iron spans were cast in [[Masbrough]], [[Rotherham]].<ref>{{cite book |url={{GBurl|BH8HAAAAQAAJ|page=23}}|title=Sharpe's Road-book for the Rail, Eastern Division |last=Sharpe |first=John |publisher=David Bogue |year=1855 |location=London |pages=23 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref>

{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Southwark Bridge Transfer Act 1865
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act authorizing the Sale or Transfer of Southwark Bridge.
| year                  = 1865
| citation              = [[28 & 29 Vict.]] c. cxcvi
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 29 June 1865
| commencement          = 29 June 1865
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = current
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/28-29/196/pdfs/ukla_18650196_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
{{Infobox UK legislation
| short_title           = Southwark Bridge Company Act 1872
| type                  = Act
| parliament            = Parliament of the United Kingdom
| long_title            = An Act for distributing the remaining Assets and finally winding up the affairs of the Southwark Bridge Company, and dissolving the Company; and for other purposes.
| year                  = 1872
| citation              = [[35 & 36 Vict.]] c. cl
| introduced_commons    = 
| introduced_lords      = 
| territorial_extent    = 
| royal_assent          = 25 July 1872
| commencement          = 
| expiry_date           = 
| repeal_date           = 
| amends                = 
| replaces              = 
| amendments            = 
| repealing_legislation = 
| related_legislation   = 
| status                = current
| legislation_history   = 
| theyworkforyou        = 
| millbankhansard       = 
| original_text         = https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukla/Vict/35-36/150/pdfs/ukla_18720150_en.pdf
| revised_text          = 
| use_new_UK-LEG        = 
| UK-LEG_title          = 
| collapsed             = yes
}}
It was a commercial tolled operation which was trying to compete with the toll free [[Blackfriars Bridge|Blackfriars]] and [[London Bridge|London]] bridges nearby, but the company became bankrupt. From 1864 the bridge was rented by the [[City of London Corporation]], and made toll-free.<ref name=SurveyofLondon/> Following the passage of the '''{{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Transfer Act 1865}}''' ([[28 & 29 Vict.]] c. cxcvi) it was purchased outright by the corporation in 1868 for £218,868, equivalent to £{{Format price|{{Inflation|UK|218868|1868|r=0}}}} in {{Inflation/year|UK}}, about a third of the construction cost.<ref name=SurveyofLondon/><ref name=HistoryofLondon/>{{Inflation/fn|UK}} The Southwark Bridge Company was subsequently wound-up by the '''{{visible anchor|Southwark Bridge Company Act 1872}}''' ([[35 & 36 Vict.]] c. cl).

In 1912 the City of London Corporation decided a wider replacement bridge was required, to accommodate increased traffic. A new bridge on the site was designed by [[Ernest George]] and [[Basil Mott]]. A contract was awarded to [[Sir William Arrol & Co.]] in 1913 to construct the bridge for the [[Bridge House Estates]]. War delayed progress, and the bridge was eventually opened for use on 6 June 1921 by King [[George V]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://thames.me.uk/s00070.htm |title=Where Thames Smooth Waters Glide}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://issuu.com/benham/docs/southwark_september_2021/28 |title=Remembering when... |first=Ken |last=Hayes |pages=28-29 |magazine=Southwark Business Today |publisher=Benham Publishing}}</ref>

Halfway along the bridge on the Western side is a plaque which is inscribed:
<blockquote>
 ''Re-built by the [[Bridge House Estates]] Committee''<br>
 ''of the [[City of London Corporation|Corporation of London]]''<br>
 ''1913-1921''<br>
 ''Opened for traffic by their Majesties''<br>
 ''[[George V of the United Kingdom|King George V]] and [[Mary of Teck|Queen Mary]]''<br>
 ''6th June 1921''<br>
 ''Sir Ernest Lamb CMG, JP Chairman''<br>
 ''[[Basil Mott]], CB Engineer''<br>
 ''Sir [[Ernest George]] RA Architect''
</blockquote>

The bridge provides access to Upper Thames Street on the north bank and, due to the [[Ring of steel (London)|ring of steel]], there is no further road access to the City and the north. The bridge is owned and maintained by [[Bridge House Estates]], a charitable trust overseen by the [[City of London Corporation]]. The current bridge was given [[listed building|Grade II listed structure]] status in 1995.<ref>{{NHLE |num=1252452 |desc=Southwark Bridge |access-date=27 November 2008}}</ref>

==Nearby==
At the north-west side is Vintners' Court, a 1990s office block which has a classical façade of columns and pediment; this was developed on the site owned by the [[Worshipful Company of Vintners]] whose hall is behind it on Upper Thames Street.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.vintnershall.co.uk/resource/collection/0CD72792-F067-4832-90A2-899B2DA416A6/Vintners_Annual_Report_2012_FINAL.pdf |title=Annual Report 2012|publisher=Vintners Company|page=35|access-date=15 December 2013}}</ref>

The south end is near the [[Tate Modern]], the [[Clink Prison Museum]], the [[Shakespeare's Globe|Globe Theatre]], and the [[WPP plc]] and [[Ofcom]] office buildings. Below the bridge on the south side are some old steps, which were once used by Thames watermen as a place to moor their boats and wait for customers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.southwarkbridge.co.uk/project|title=Southwark Bridge|access-date=15 December 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131215153238/http://www.southwarkbridge.co.uk/project|archive-date=15 December 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

Below the bridge on the south side is a pedestrian tunnel, part of the Queen's Walk Embankment, containing a [[frieze]] depicting the [[Thames frost fairs]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.city-insights.com/mobile/SE19HL.html|title=City Insights page on Kindersley's frieze|access-date=13 July 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100628113946/http://www.city-insights.com/mobile/SE19HL.html|archive-date=28 June 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

[[List of cycle routes in London#Cycle Superhighways|Cycle Superhighway 7]] runs along the bridge.

==In popular culture==
*Southwark Bridge appears in many films, including ''[[Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)|Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix]]'' (2007).
*The cream painted houses on the south side of the bridge, Anchor Terrace, just after the FT building, were used for the exterior shots of the shared house in ''[[This Life (1996 TV series)|This Life]]''.
*The 1819-1920 "Iron Bridge" is mentioned in the first sentence of "[[Our Mutual Friend]]" by Charles Dickens, and several times in his "[[Little Dorrit]]", where in Chapter 24 he identifies the toll as being one penny.
*In the 1964 Disney film ''[[Mary Poppins (film)|Mary Poppins]]'', the Banks family mistakenly think that George W. Banks has committed suicide by jumping off the bridge after he is fired from his job at the bank.
*DCI Luther and Alice Morgan meet at Southwark Bridge in the season 3 finale of the BBC crime drama ''[[Luther (TV series)|Luther]]''.
*The bridge appears in the final scene of ''[[Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels]]'' with Tom leaning over the bridge with his cell phone in his mouth set to drop antique guns in the Thames River.

==References==
{{Commons}}
{{reflist}}

{{Navboxes
|title=Articles and topics related to Southwark Bridge
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|list1=
{{ThamesCrossings | west=[[Millennium Bridge (London)|London Millennium Footbridge]] | east=[[Cannon Street Railway Bridge]] }}
{{Bridges_of_Central_London}}
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[[Category:Bridges completed in 1819]]
[[Category:Rebuilt buildings and structures in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Bridges completed in 1921]]
[[Category:Bridges across the River Thames]]
[[Category:Grade II listed bridges in London]]
[[Category:Transport in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Bridges in the City of London]]
[[Category:Former toll bridges in England]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in the City of London]]
[[Category:Grade II listed buildings in the London Borough of Southwark]]
[[Category:Bridges in London]]