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The Great Britain Guide

Historic bridges · South East England

Whitchurch Bridge

Free admission

Whitchurch Bridge is a historic bridge in the United Kingdom.

Whitchurch Bridge, historic bridges in South East England

Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence

Plan your visit

Typical visit
15 min–30 min
Nearest railway station
Pangbourne · 0.4 km
  • Free entry
  • Dog-friendly

About

Whitchurch Bridge is a historic bridge in South-East England. The site is within the Chilterns National Landscape (AONB). It sits within the Reading West and Mid Berkshire parliamentary constituency. The nearest railway station is Pangbourne, about 0.4 km away. Postcode area RG8.

Photo gallery

Heritage listing

Whitchurch Bridge is a toll bridge that carries the B471 road over the River Thames in England. It links the villages of Pangbourne in Berkshire, and Whitchurch-on-Thames in Oxfordshire – crossing the river just downstream of Whitchurch Lock. It is one of two remaining private toll bridges across the Thames, the other being Swinford Toll Bridge. The bridge has a weight limit of 7.5 tonnes and is a Grade II listed structure. Its 1792-built, now unrelated, residential toll house is also listed. The bridge is owned and maintained by The Company of Proprietors of Whitchurch Bridge, who are themselves owned by the General Estates Company, who also own Bathampton Toll Bridge across the River Avon to the east of Bath. Tolls currently range from 60p for cars to £4 for vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes.

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.

Protected designations

  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: Chilterns
  • Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty: North Wessex Downs

Designations sourced from Natural England open data under OGL v3.

From the Wikipedia article

Whitchurch Bridge is a toll bridge that carries the B471 road over the River Thames in England. It links the villages of Pangbourne in Berkshire, and Whitchurch-on-Thames in Oxfordshire – crossing the river just downstream of Whitchurch Lock. It is one of two remaining private toll bridges across the Thames, the other being Swinford Toll Bridge. The bridge has a weight limit of 7.5 tonnes and is a Grade II listed structure. Its 1792-built, now unrelated, residential toll house is also listed. The bridge is owned and maintained by The Company of Proprietors of Whitchurch Bridge, who are themselves owned by the General Estates Company, who also own Bathampton Toll Bridge across the River Avon to the east of Bath. Tolls currently range from 60p for cars to £4 for vehicles of over 3.5 tonnes. Pedestrians, cyclists and motorcycles cross for free. A pre-paid multiple-use Bridge Card can be bought that provides cost savings on tolls. The Thames Path crosses the river on Whitchurch Bridge. In the downstream (easterly) direction the path passes along the southern bank of the Thames through Pangbourne Meadow. In the upstream (westerly) direction it takes a more inland route through Hartslock on the north side of the river.

Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.

Background

History

A bridge has stood here since 1792 when it replaced a ferry. The structure was renewed in 1852 3, 1902 and most recently in 2014. The original charges ranged from a halfpenny ( of a pound) per pedestrian, sheep, lamb, boar, sow or pig to twopence for each wheel of a vehicle and twopence for the drawing animal (though one and a half if an ass), so a of a pound for a horse-drawn four-wheeled vehicle (). Horses and persons using the lock for barge hauling were exempt. A public inquiry was held in June 2009 and the toll increase was approved in October 2009; the new toll came into force on 26 October 2009. From October 2013 a complete reconstruction took place, with new and stronger piling and…

Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Coordinates
51.4868, -1.0851
Parish
Pangbourne
Postcode
RG8 7DP
Parliamentary constituency
Reading West and Mid Berkshire
Nearest railway station
Pangbourne0.4 km
Opening
November 1792, rebuilt to new design opened early 1853, ditto early 1902, re-laid version opened 19 September 2014

Sources

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Nearby

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Frequently asked questions

Where is Whitchurch Bridge?
Whitchurch Bridge is in South-East England, United Kingdom (postcode RG8 7DP), in the parish of Pangbourne.
Is Whitchurch Bridge a listed building?
Whitchurch Bridge is officially recognised as Grade II listed building listed.
Is Whitchurch Bridge a protected site?
Yes — Whitchurch Bridge is part of the Chilterns National Landscape (AONB) and the North Wessex Downs National Landscape (AONB).
Is Whitchurch Bridge free to visit?
Yes, Whitchurch Bridge is free to enter.
How do I get to Whitchurch Bridge?
The nearest railway station is Pangbourne, about 0.4 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode RG8 7DP.