Dee Bridge (Chester)

This article is about Dee Bridge in Chester.
For other Dee Bridges, see Dee Bridge.

The old Dee Bridge in Chester is the oldest bridge in the city, dating back to 1407 although it replaced an even older, Norman crossing. However, this Norman Bridge is believed to be little more than a rebuilding of the Roman bridge, probably using the original Roman stone piers which carried a timber superstructure. It is possible that some of the stonework was rebuilt by the normans, but in 1279 the timber deck was destroyed in a flood, and whilst it was subsequently rebuilt and repaired, a more permanent solution was now sought.

The bridge built in 1407 (work may have started as early as 1387) consists of seven red sandstone arches of varying span and shape, and while the southern most arch is known to have been replaced, the differing arches may suggest that some others have been rebuilt at some time. The bridge was widened in 1825 by removing a parapet and adding a corbelled footway to the east side, but less than a decade later it was largely superseded by the new Grosvenor Bridge a little upstream.

Today the bridge still carries traffic, albeit restricted to traffic light controlled one-way running, with an extra wide pavement on the widened side. There is also a very narrow pavement on the other side of the bridge, connecting the generous refuges over the piers. At the south east corner, there is an extra large refuge on the first pier from the bank which marks the site of a tower or gatehouse that once stood on the bridge.