Iron Bridge, Bridgehouses
Location/Address
Off Bridgehouses Roundabout, Sheffield, S3 9QB
Type
Description
Site of Sheffield's first iron bridge, built in 1795 to replace an earlier wooden bridge on the same spot, which had helped the settlement at Bridgehouses to develop. The first iron bridge, one of the earliest in the country, had ironwork supplied by the Walkers' Iron Foundry, Rotherham; refurbished in 1841, the bridge was swept away by the Great Flood in 1864 and replaced the following year. The bridge was last renovated in 1921; a plaque on the bridge records the new ironwork was supplied by J Butler & Co. Ltd, of Stanningley Ironworks, Leeds. The stone bases almost certainly pre-dates this.
In the early 1850s the new Borough Bridge and Corporation Street were built alongside, but the iron bridge survived as a foot crossing, and its rebuilding following the great flood shows it was still needed in the 1860s. In Victorian times there was a pub, the 'Bridge Inn', located at the current entrance to the footbridge.
From the 1795 iron bridge serving the settlement of Bridgehouses, to the 1841 iron bridge serving the adjacent Bridgehouses station (the line to Manchester opened 1840), to standing today isolated in the middle of a busy roundabout, this is a site telling the story of changes to Sheffield. In recent years the bridge has been looked after by the 'Friends of Bridgehouses Footbridge' who have installed interpretation boards and signage, as well as holding open days and litter picks. The roundabout has become a green spot as the council have planted trees along the edges, and in the spring has a meadow of flowers surrounding the bridge. The footbridge is open at one end and can be walked over but not crossed, as it is closed off at the far end. Before the friends group was formed, the site was largely forgotten. Locally listing the asset can help flag up the site and its story for future generations.
Statement of Significance
Asset type
Structure - bridgeAge
Circa 1865 - replaced after the Great Sheffield Flood of 1864Rarity
Survived as a foot crossing when the new Borough Bridge and Corporation Street were built alongside and its rebuilding following the great flood shows it was still needed as a crossing in the 1860s - unique reminder of times gone by.Historic Interest
The asset is one of a succession of crossings on the spot, originally linking Sheffield to the settlement of Bridgehouses, and used by thousands of people a day when the area was home to a railway station and thriving industry. It is now a ghostly reminder of these times past, surrounded by modern development and new roads.Archaeological Interest
Evidence for earlier bridges can be expected hereLandmark Status
A crossing for centuries and the site of Sheffield's first iron bridge as well as part of the 1864 Great Flood story. The very name of the area, Bridgehouses, is still testament to its historical importance.Images and Documents
Date Listed
18 Sep 2023
Last Updated
13 Jun 2023
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