Blackfriars Bridge

Blackfriars Bridge carries road and foot traffic over the Thames in central London. It stands between Waterloo Bridge to the west and Blackfriars Railway Bridge to the east. The north end lies in the City of London near the Inns of Court and Temple Church. The south end reaches Southwark close to Tate Modern and the Oxo Tower. The present bridge opened in the 1860s, replacing an earlier 1760s structure. The bridge’s history begins with a 303-metre toll bridge designed by Robert Mylne. It opened in 1769 as the third Thames crossing in built-up London, after London Bridge and Westminster Bridge. The City of London Corporation chose the site to link with New Bridge Street and avoid disrupting the area. By the 1830s repairs could not keep pace with damage, so a new bridge was built. The current five-arch wrought-iron design by Joseph Cubitt was opened by Queen Victoria in 1869. It was widened from 21 to 32 metres between 1907 and 1910 to handle growing traffic. Visitors find stone carvings of seabirds and freshwater birds on the piers by John Birnie Philip. A statue of Queen Victoria stands at the north end, funded by Sir Alfred Seale Haslam. The bridge ends resemble a pulpit, recalling the Black Friars’ name. Under the north end the River Fleet empties into the Thames. The structure is Grade II listed and has appeared in films, books and songs.