1823 Magdalene Bridge

This is the site of the original crossings that gave Cambridge its name. It is just South-East of Magdalene College, and carries Bridge Street over the Cam. Now known as Magdalene Bridge, earlier versions were more commonly referred to as Great Bridge.

There have been a succession of wooden bridges on this site. The lands listed for pontage between 1236 and 1752 show that only landowners West of the Cam were liable for keeping these bridges in good repair. In 1754 the last wooden bridge was replaced by a stone bridge designed by James Essex.

The current 1823 bridge is of cast-iron and ashlar. Arthur Browne was both architect and contractor. The main sections were cast in Derby, and the rest in Cambridge.

It is one of the earliest examples in Britain of the three-pin arch arrangement, which allows for movement within the structure under load, and is the earliest cast iron bridge in Cambridge. Stylistically, it is of interest for its 18th century Gothic-revival linear decoration.

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