Grosvenor Bridge

Beginning of works:	1827
Completion:	17 October 1832
Status:	in use

Location:	Chester, Cheshire, North West England, England, United Kingdom
Crosses:	River Dee
Coordinates:	53° 11' 1.03" N    2° 53' 45.82" W

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1 October 1827	First stone is laid.
17 October 1832	Opening by Princess (later Queen) Victoria and the 2nd Earl of Grosvenor after whom the bridge is named.
1 January 1834	Formal opening after delay over payments to the contractor.

The stone arch was built off shuttering designed by Trubshaw having a clear span of 200feet (66m) , the largest such structure in the world at that time. The abutments were built directly onto sandstone on the North bank of the River Dee, the South side being built off a stone 'table' supported on timber piles driven into the boulder clay. The spandrels are constructed with voids to reduce the self weight.

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The bridge is a grade 1 listed structure. It was built to relieve the pressure on the nearby smaller 14th Century Old Dee Bridge which is on the site of a Roman crossing. The bridge now used by heavy vehicles on the main route to Wales. It was recently assessed for EU highway loadings and shows little signs of distress since it's 1834 opening during which time there have been no significant repairs or alterations. As such it is testimony to the qualities of skill in design, construction and use of materials of the 19th Century engineers.