Whitchurch Bridge | |
|---|---|
 Whitchurch Bridge as seen from Pangbourne Meadow | |
| Coordinates | 51°29′12.5″N 1°05′06.5″W / 51.486806°N 1.085139°W |
| Carries | B471 road & Thames Path |
| Crosses | River Thames |
| Locale | Pangbourne, West Berkshire / Whitchurch-on-Thames, South Oxfordshire |
| Maintained by | Company of Proprietors of Whitchurch Bridge (The) |
| Heritage status | Grade II listed |
| Characteristics | |
| Design | Atkins, largely to earlier designs |
| Total length | 82.1 metres (269 ft) |
| Width | 5.18 metres (17.0 ft) plus 1.3-metre footway (pavement) |
| Height | 13 feet 7 inches (4.14 m)[1] |
| No. of spans | 4 |
| Clearance above | limited by rail bridge to south at: 11 feet 7 inches (3.53 m) |
| Clearance below | 12 feet 7 inches (3.84 m) (at normal high, winter levels) |
| History | |
| Opened | November 1792, rebuilt to new design opened early 1853, ditto early 1902, re-laid version opened 19 September 2014 |
| Closed | for a few months before re-opening dates listed above |
| Statistics | |
| Toll | 60p for cars £4 for vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes |
| Location | |
 | |
Whitchurch Bridge is a toll bridge that carries the B471 road over the River Thames in England. It links the villages of Pangbourne in Berkshire, and Whitchurch-on-Thames in Oxfordshire – crossing the river just downstream of Whitchurch Lock. It is one of two remaining private toll bridges across the Thames, the other being Swinford Toll Bridge. The bridge has a weight limit of 7.5 tonnes[n 1] and is a Grade II listed structure.[2][n 2] Its 1792-built, now unrelated, residential toll house is also listed.[3]
The bridge is owned and maintained by The Company of Proprietors of Whitchurch Bridge, who are themselves owned by the General Estates Company, who also own Bathampton Toll Bridge across the River Avon to the east of Bath.[4] Tolls currently range from 60p for cars to £4 for vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles cross for free. A pre-paid multiple-use Bridge Card can be bought that provides cost savings on tolls.[citation needed]
The Thames Path crosses the river on Whitchurch Bridge. In the downstream (easterly) direction the path passes along the southern bank of the Thames through Pangbourne Meadow. In the upstream (westerly) direction it takes a more inland route through Hartslock on the north side of the river.[5]
- ^ River Thames Alliance. Bridge heights on the River Thames.
- ^ Historic England. "Whitchurch Bridge (1261775)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ Historic England. "The Tollhouse, Whitchurch Bridge, built 1792 (1261743)". National Heritage List for England.
- ^ "Toll bridge sold for first time since being built in 1792". Henley Standard. 27 February 2019. Archived from the original on 8 July 2022. Retrieved 7 July 2022.
- ^ Explorer 159: Reading, Wokingham & Pangbourne (Map). Ordnance Survey. ISBN 9780319243527.
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