THORNGATE FOOTBRIDGE
Once crossed by stepping stones, a footbridge now enables the Tees to be crossed at this point. A 3 span wrought iron footbridge on stone piers, built in 1871, was washed away by floods in 1881, sending two men to their deaths, but replaced the following year by a new lattice girder bridge built by Wilson Bros of Darlington. Also of 3 spans, two quite short, the centre span of 518 metres, the footbridge is located in Barnard Castle at the foot of The Bank and Thorngate. This is the long road stretching downhill to the river and the bridge gives access to houses on the south side in Startforth. The river here is turbulent and the bridge gives good views as it flows round a bend from the old stone bridge upstream and down past wooded banks. Known locally as the Green Bridge.
Thorngate Mill stands on the bank and the bridge allowed workers from the former Yorkshire side to cross. Thorngate, at the lower end of Barnard Castle is a short tree-lined street with some 18th century houses formerly associated with the woollen industry.
See the Northern Echo website for a full account of the original bridge and its destruction.
- Constructed - 1881
- Type - suspension, wrought iron chains, stone piers, wooden deck.
- Position: Barnard Castle, County Durham.
- Grid Ref: NZ 049 160
