Coalport Bridge — River Severn

Spanning the Severn between Coalport and Preens Eddy, today's Coalport Bridge is an impressive, decorative cast iron structure. But back in the 1700s it was a double-arched wooden bridge, known imaginatively as Wood Bridge to differentiate it from the nearby iron bridge, known as Iron Bridge. Unfortunately, less than five years after its construction, Wood Bridge was washed away by floods. Over the following years it was replaced with various iron/wood structures, none of which lasted for long, until eventually a sturdier all-iron bridge was built in 1818. This stood for 187 years until requiring strengthening work in the early 2000s.

Nice place to picnic 🧺

Surprised cars still allowed over this bridge built in 1881