The Queen's Bridge

The bridge over the Bourne Eau as it runs through Eastgate is known as the Queen's Bridge, a name suggesting that its erection during the 19th century marked an important occasion connected with the sovereign, most probably Queen Victoria.

But as records show that it existed in 1856 this rules out her Golden and Diamond Jubilees and so it was probably built as a commemoration of her accession or wedding in 1837-38 although the local newspapers did not report either on its construction or naming on those occasions. However, this assumption would appear to be correct because a public notice which appeared in the Stamford Mercury on Friday 8th April 1842 referred to land situated in Eastgate about to be sold at auction as being "opposite the New Bridge".

There is also evidence that there has been a ford or crossing at this point since the earliest times and when the river was cleaned out in October 1898, the bed of the section beside the bridge was found to be paved with stones, ancient and well laid and believed to date from Roman times. The bank below the bridge was once a slope to provide access for horses and carts, allowing the animals to drink and the wagons to be washed.

Queen's Bridge became a central feature of the Eastgate district and can be seen in many old photographs from earlier times. The White Bread Meadow auction was traditionally held there annually as well as periodic auctions of grazing rights on pasture land in the North and South Fen. It was also the centre for many public occasions, outdoor meetings and other gatherings, while children played along the nearby riverside and small boys netted newts and fished for minnows.

In 1865, there were concerns about public health because the town's sewage was emptied into the river at this point so creating a serious nuisance which was expected to exacerbate with the introduction of more domestic water closets around the town.

The original bridge was most likely made of wood but this was replaced around 1880 with a structure of little artistic merit, sturdily built of rough concrete and strong enough to withstand the weight of horse-drawn traffic but within a few years, constant use by cars and lorries had taken their toll and the bridge began to show signs of deterioration. In addition, pipes from various public utilities that had crossed the road at this point in recent years had been left exposed with little attempt to disguise their presence.

The bridge's official weight capacity of 7.5 tonnes was below the European directive of a 40 tonne limit and so Lincolnshire County Council, the highways authority, decided in 2013 that its days were numbered and plans were drawn up to replace it during the summer months, work being completed by the end of December.

PHOTO ALBUM

An astonishingly elaborate footbridge was erected to allow pedestrians cross the Bourne Eau during the rebuilding of the bridge (above) and in September 2013, the road was completely closed for ten weeks (below).

The east side of the near completed bridge (above) and the west side (below) with the electricity, gas, water and sewage pipes strung across the river on a scaffolding bridge (bottom).

The bridge finally finished and all scaffolding and other encumbrances removed, photographed in June 2014.

THE QUEEN'S BRIDGE IN PAST TIMES

The picture above from circa 1900 shows the slope into the Bourne Eau that provided access for horses and carts, allowing the animals to drink and the wagons to be washed and enabling the wooden wheels to swell within their iron rims. Next to the bridge at No 6 Eastgate is Hinson's bread and sweet shop that continued in business until the mid 1950s and next to that is the United Reformed Church. The bottom picture postcard view shows the bridge and Branston's new shop premises from circa 1920..

REVISED DECEMBER 2013

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