Buckingham: London Bridge

Image: © Nigel Cox Taken: 17 Oct 2010

London Bridge was largely funded by the 1st Marquis of Buckingham to provide a better approach to the town from the south than Image The bridge was completed in 1805, of coursed limestone and limestone ashlar, with three elliptical arches, which are just visible in the photograph here. The bridge and its causeway to the north now form a Grade II Listed Structure. An overall clear view of the whole bridge crossing the River Great Ouse is nigh on impossible these days with the modern footbridge to the right running parallel, close, and at about the same height. However the footbridge does now afford a close up view of the tablet containing the coat of arms of the Marquis of Buckingham in the centre of the downstream side here. The coat of arms, complete with supporters and marquis' coronet, has the impressed mark Coade & Seely, Lambeth, and is dated 1805. It is curious that such effort went into producing this tablet when in 1805 it would have been out of close up sight to all and sundry. Perhaps the designers were prescient enough to foresee 20th century traffic, and the need for a separate pedestrian walkway!

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