The plaque is at the northern end of
the bridge on the eastern side. It is set into the ironwork of the bridge next
to the stonework of the old toll house that is now a cafe.
The plaque, that is inscribed in a
flowery font, reads:
Lendal
Bridge
opened
January 8 1863
The Right Honourable
William Par
Clark
Lord Mayor
Thomas Page
FCS
Architect
The History of York website [visit
link] tells us about river crossing and the bridge at this
location:
"Lendal Bridge was the second of
the three modern road bridges built over the River Ouse at York (the first being
Ouse Bridge which has existed since as early as the ninth century).
The bridge replaced an earlier
ferry service, which had operated from Barker Tower, on the south-west bank, to
Lendal Tower. The advent of the railways in York in the first half of the
nineteenth century made the ferry service busier than ever with passengers
wanting to cross the river going to and from York’s original railway station in
Tanner Row.
A bridge to replace the Lendal
ferry service was first suggested in 1838 but responsibility for its
construction became a point of controversy between the Corporation of York and
the railway companies. After much debate, the Lendal Bridge and York Improvement
Act was finally passed in 1860 and the foundation stone of the original bridge,
designed by William Dredge, was laid later that year.
Then disaster struck. In 1861 the
original bridge collapsed during construction, killing five men.
The bridge was redesigned and
finally opened in 1863. The new architect, brought in after the failed first
attempt, was Thomas Page, who also designed Skeldergate Bridge in York and
Westminster Bridge in London.
Lendal Bridge is an iron bridge
with details in the Gothic style popular in Victorian England. The ornate
parapet of the bridge features the white rose of York, the crossed keys of the
Diocese of York and the lions of England. Additional ironwork includes York’s
coat of arms and the initials V & A, representing Queen Victoria and Prince
Albert.
The new bridge put the ferryman out
of business. Records show that he received compensation of 15 pounds and a horse
and cart.
A toll was charged to cross the new
bridge to help pay for its construction. The charge was half a penny for foot
passengers, a penny for animals and twopence for horse-drawn vehicles. The two
small toll-houses can still be seen today, now housing cafés. The last toll was
charged in 1894."
The York History website [visit link] gives some
additional information:
"Lendal Bridge had its origins in
the early nineteenth century, when initial plans for its construction were drawn
up. It took some time for further progress to be made.
The construction of the bridge had
proved difficult, the local paper reporting in January 1861 that the work had
been suspended for some time due to weather difficulties. They reported that
piling was about to recommence when the tide allowed, and that the masons would
again be able to restart their work. Later on in 1861, the bridge collapsed, and
five men were killed.
The dead men were, Richard Masser
(aged 15, rivet heater), John Manuel (aged 22, rivetter), Luke Brown (aged 28),
Thomas Hoyle and John Smith (aged 20). The injured were Peter Dealone
(aged 15), John Henry Peckett and Thomas Coulter.
Lendal Bridge was completed
in 1863, constructed by Thomas Page, who had once been an assistant of Isambard
Kingdom Brunel and who had also worked on Westminster and Chelsea Bridges. The
bridge had a 175 foot span and cost 35,000 pounds to build.
A ferry had previously served this
location, between Barker Tower on one side, and Lendal Tower on the other. After
completion of the bridge, the ferryman was given £15 and a horse and cart as
compensation for the end of his trade.
At the opening of the bridge, the
local paper noted that “few will latterly have watched the progress of the works
upon the new bridge at Lendal, but will be gratified wit the rapidity with which
Mr . Page, the talented engineer, has pushed on their completion”. The Lord
Mayor opened the bridge, accompanied on a procession with members of the
Corporation, the magistrates and other public functionaries. The procession went
up Stonegate, along Petergate, turning into Little Blake Street directly to the
bridge.
Tolls were to be abolished in 1894
for both vehicles and pedestrians, and with the construction of Station Road,
the bridge had continued to become important in aiding York’s increasing traffic
flow. In 1910 the bridge had to be strengthened to take the weight of the trams
which were being taken across it."