Inglis Bridge
View of the bridge looking east, taken in 2012 when the bridge was fully accessible
Coordinates51°49′01″N 2°42′57″W / 51.8169°N 2.7158°W / 51.8169; -2.7158
CarriesPedestrian traffic
CrossesRiver Monnow
LocaleMonmouth, Monmouthshire, Wales
Characteristics
DesignInglis Mark II
MaterialSteel
Total length27.4 m (90 ft)
Width2.9 m (9 ft 6 in)
No. of spans1
History
DesignerCharles Inglis
Construction end1931, refurbished 1988
Statistics
Daily trafficPedestrian (originally vehicular)
Listed Building – Grade II
Official nameInglis Bridge over River Monnow
Designated23 March 2011
Reference no.87635
Location

The Inglis Bridge, Monmouth, Wales crosses the River Monnow linking Vauxhall Fields and the suburb of Osbaston. Designed by, and named after, Charles Inglis, the bridge was constructed in 1931 and refurbished in 1988. It is a Mark II model of an Inglis bridge, and the only known example in Britain of such a bridge still in public use. Access is now limited to pedestrians, vehicular use being prohibited in 2018 on safety grounds. The bridge is a Grade II listed structure.

History

Sir Charles Inglis (31 July 1875 – 19 April 1952) was a British civil engineer. While a lecturer in mechanical engineering at King's College, Cambridge,[1] Inglis joined the Cambridge University Officers' Training Corps and on the outbreak of World War 1 was commissioned into the Royal Engineers. Appointed director of the bridging department, he designed a transportable steel bridge that could be erected in a day.[2] Named the Inglis bridge in his honour, the design remained in use by the British Army throughout the First World War and the inter-war period, until being superseded by the higher capacity Bailey bridge in 1940–1941.[3]

The Inglis Bridge at Monmouth was built by the Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (RMRE) in 1931.[4] The regiment was, and is, based at Monmouth Castle,[5] and the bridge provided access to its training ground on Vauxhall Fields.[6] The regiment undertook the refurbishment of the bridge in 1988.[7] The bridge was closed to vehicles in 2011 on safety grounds, although it was reopened shortly afterwards in the face of local opposition. The bridge was again closed to vehicles in 2018 amid arguments over the responsibility for the funding of repairs.[8][9] It remains the only known example of such a bridge in the UK in public use.[lower-alpha 1][lower-alpha 2][4]

Location

Vauxhall Fields was developed as a pleasure ground in the 18th century by John Tibbs, landlord of the Beaufort Arms Hotel.[13] In the 1850s, the headquarters of the RMRE were established at Monmouth Castle, and a training camp was developed on Vauxhall Fields in the early 20th century.[14][15] In 1905, access over the River Monnow to the camp was facilitated by the construction of a wooden bridge, known as the White Bridge. This was replaced by the Inglis Bridge in 1931, with the latter using the masonry footings of the former.[16]

Description

The bridge is constructed of tubular steel and comprises a 27.4 m (90 ft) single span with a 2.9 m (9 ft 6 in) deck. It is supported by longitudinal stringers and two spans of lateral bracing.[17] The design is of the Warren truss type.[18] The Inglis bridges were constructed using prefabricated components, allowing for rapid deployment and reuse in combat conditions. The Mark I design comprised steel tubes of differing lengths, which led to errors during assembly. The Mark II model standardised the steel tubes used to a single length.[19] Inglis Bridge is a Grade II listed structure.[4]

Notes

  1. ↑ Another Inglis bridge remains, crossing the Basingstoke Canal at Aldershot, but this is not in public use.[10] A third example was identified at RAF Sandtoft, Lincolnshire in 2018. It has been dismantled and a section is to be re-erected at the Royal Engineers Museum in Kent.[6][11]
  2. ↑ A replica Inglis Bridge was erected in a park in Leyland, Lancashire in 2016.[12]

References

  1. ↑ "Charles Edward Inglis". Grace's Guide to British Industrial History. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  2. ↑ "Professor Sir Charles Edward Inglis, O.B.E – Obituary". Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers. Institute of Chartered Engineers. 1 (4): 502–503. July 1952. doi:10.1680/iicep.1952.26967. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Charles Edward Inglis, 1875–1952". Obituary Notices of Fellows of the Royal Society. 8 (22): 444–457. 3 November 1953. doi:10.1098/rsbm.1953.0010. S2CID 161226001. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 Cadw. "Inglis Bridge over River Monnow (Grade II) (87635)". National Historic Assets of Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "About Us". The Royal Monmouthshire Royal Engineers (Militia). Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  6. 1 2 "The Inglis Bridges". Think Defence. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  7. ↑ "Plaque unveiled at Bridge". Chepstow Beacon. 24 November 2008.
  8. ↑ Elson, Mark (14 February 2018). "Mystery over historic Army bridge closure". Forest of Dean and Wye Valley Review.
  9. ↑ Craig, Ian (24 October 2018). "Historic bridge needs army cash for repairs". South Wales Argus.
  10. ↑ "Inglis Pipe Bridge". Hampshire County Council. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  11. ↑ "Historic military bridge makes final journey". Doncaster Free Press. 9 January 2018.
  12. ↑ "First World War Inglis Bridge for new park, Leyland". External Works. Retrieved 6 October 2021.
  13. ↑ Kissack 1975, p. 243.
  14. ↑ Crawford, Johnny (April 2016). "The Call to Arms-Southeast Wales and the First World War" (PDF). Glamorgan-Gwent Archaeological Trust.
  15. ↑ "Vauxhall Military Training Camp (96272)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  16. ↑ "The White Bridge, Vauxhall Fields, Monmouth, 1905". People's Collection, Wales. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Inglis Bridge Over River Monnow, Monmouth (412766)". Coflein. RCAHMW. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  18. ↑ McFetrich 2019.
  19. ↑ Jones, Stephen K. (June 2018). "Historical Engineering Works Newsletter" (PDF). Institution of Civil Engineers.

Sources

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