St Ives Bridge, Stone bridge in St Ives, England
St Ives Bridge is a stone arch bridge spanning the River Great Ouse in St Ives, Cambridgeshire, connecting the town's northern and southern sides. It is classified as a Grade I listed building and a scheduled monument, reflecting its architectural and historical standing.
The bridge was built between 1414 and 1425, replacing a wooden crossing that monks from Ramsey Abbey had put in place in 1107. During the English Civil War, two arches on the southern end were pulled down to stop the forces of King Charles I from using it.
Built into the structure of the bridge is a small medieval chapel dedicated to St Leger, which visitors can see from the roadway. Chapels of this kind were once common on English bridges, but very few survive today as part of a still-standing crossing.
The bridge is open to vehicles and pedestrians throughout the day and serves as a working crossing in the town center. Walking down to the riverbank on either side gives the clearest view of the arches and the asymmetry left by the Civil War repairs.
The two arches rebuilt after the Civil War demolition were constructed in a different style from the original medieval ones, and this contrast is still visible when you look at the bridge from the riverbank. The break in the pattern is one of the clearest signs in England of a bridge deliberately altered for military reasons.
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