Lambeth Bridge features in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Askaban. It's been in Harry Potter, Bond and plenty of other films too It took many more years of campaigning and development for the Thames Path to officially 'open' in 1996. In 1965, Lambeth Bridge became the first of London's crossings to be tunnelled beneath to provide pedestrian access along the embankment. We take it for granted today that you can trot along the river's embankment walkway, or Thames Path, peek under bridges, hear a busker, and even learn about London's history without too much getting in your way.īut this wasn't always the case.

It was one of the first Thames bridges you could walk. Other bridges made by the same building company include the Tyne Bridge in Newcastle the Chien Tang River Bridge in Hangzhou, China the 3km long Storstrøm Bridge in Denmark and the Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia. The Tyne Bridge, built by the same firm as Lambeth Bridge. Lambeth Bridge was built between 19 by Dorman Long & Co, one of the foremost bridge building firms of the era. It has some interesting international siblings John Tradescant the younger, head gardener to Charles I, is said to have grown the first pineapple in Britain he's buried, alongside the rest of his horticultural family, nearby in the churchyard of St-Mary-at-Lambeth, which is now London's Garden Museum.Īlthough it's a nice story, there's scant evidence to back up this tasty urban legend. Many people see the pinecones as more exotic pineapples, a fruity tribute to Lambeth's Tradescant family. Lambeth Bridge features distinctive pairs of obelisks at either end, topped with pinecones, ancient symbols of hospitality. Perhaps the 'V' signs in the latticework nod to that particular George? 6.

Historic England also states that the 'lamp stands augmented by steel latticework pylons were designed to honour the bridge's inauguration by King George V' but doesn't say quite how. The LCC crest sits on the granite pier to the right of this picture.

These crests support the granite lamps on the bridge's piers. It honours both the LCC and George VĬrests on the sides of Lambeth Bridge honour the London County Council, which was responsible for the bridge's construction. (Westminster Bridge, further downstream, is painted green to match the seats in the Commons.) 5. The Palace of Westminster from Lambeth Bridge. Lambeth Bridge is painted red to match the seats in the House of Lords, the part of the Palace of Westminster closest to the bridge. In 1999, the road layout was changed from four lanes to three: there's a buses-only lane flowing eastbound. It's still quite a narrow bridge, just 18m wide. River Thames and Lambeth Bridge (as seen from the London Eye). This structure gives Lambeth Bridge a rather pleasing shape. The largest, in the centre, is 50.3m next to this are two medium spans of 45.4m and then the two shorter shore spans are each 38.1m long. These five spans aren't all the same size. It's a 236.5m five-span steel arch bridge, and is carried on granite-faced reinforced concrete piers and abutments. Today's Lambeth Bridge was opened on 12 July 1932 by King George V and Queen Mary. The new bridge was completed and opened in 1932. In 1924 the London County Council obtained parliamentary powers to construct a new bridge and to widen and raise the approaches at either end. Photo showing the steep approach to Lambeth Bridge, c 1900. It was steep and difficult for horse-drawn carriages, so was increasingly only used as a footbridge within 17 years, it was already starting to deteriorate - its twisted cables had suffered from oxidation and the girders were also rusting badly. Lambeth Bridge, a stiffened suspension divided into three spans, was pretty poorly used from the start. Various Acts were passed, and Bills presented, but it took until 1861 for the Lambeth Bridge Act to finally get a company to construct the bridge, at a cost of £48,924.

The first Lambeth Bridge was not a success.ĭespite there being an act in place for the building of a bridge on the horseferry site as early as 1737, it took many years for the bridge to actually get built. The ferry is commemorated today in Horseferry Road, to the north of the river. Photo from british-history.ac.uk.įor many, many years, if you wanted to cross the Thames in central London with your horses, or your horse and carriage, the horseferry between the Palace of Westminster and Lambeth Palace was your only option. The first recorded account of London's horseferry, which operated on this site, is from 1513.

Fun bridge facts