Donnington Bridge is a modern road bridge (completed in 1962) over the River Thames

River Thames

The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...

, in the south of the city of Oxford

Oxford

The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

. At this point the river is sometimes called the Isis

The Isis

The Isis is the name given to the part of the River Thames above Iffley Lock which flows through the city of Oxford. The name is especially used in the context of rowing at the University of Oxford...

. The bridge carries the B4495 road

B roads in Zone 4 of the Great Britain numbering scheme

B roads are numbered routes in Great Britain of lesser importance than A roads. See the article Great Britain road numbering scheme for the rationale behind the numbers allocated.-3 digits:-4 digits :-4 digits :-4 digits :...

 (Donnington Bridge Road) from Abingdon Road

Abingdon Road

Abingdon Road is the main arterial road to the south of the city of Oxford, England. The road passes through the suburbs of Grandpont and New Hinksey...

 to Iffley Road

Iffley Road

Iffley Road is a major arterial road in Oxford, England. It leads from The Plain, near Magdalen Bridge, south-east towards the village of Iffley. While it becomes Henley Avenue at Iffley Turn, and then Rose Hill, many people will refer to the whole stretch from the ring road to The Plain as Iffley...

. It crosses the river on the reach between Iffley Lock

Iffley Lock

Iffley Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near the village of Iffley, Oxfordshire. It is on the southern outskirts of Oxford. The original lock was built by the Oxford-Burcot Commission in 1631 and the Thames Navigation Commission replaced this in 1793...

 and Osney Lock

Osney Lock

Osney Lock is a lock on the River Thames in Oxfordshire, England. It is close to Oxford where the village or island of Osney is next to the river.The first lock was built of stone by Daniel Harris for the Thames Navigation Commission in 1790....

.

Design

Donnington Bridge has a single arch span of 170 feet between supports and an overall width of 56 feet 8 inches. It is constructed of reinforced concrete deck slab cast integrally with 10 pre-stressed concrete legs triangulated to meet the hinges enclosed within the abutments. The abutments are clad externally with pre cast concrete units faced with Criggion Green and Blue Shap stone and the facias of the bridge are calcined flint.

History

Early in 1954 Oxford city council revived a proposal to construct a new road to link Iffley Road and Abingdon Road which would cross the Thames near Donnington Lane. Various routes were considered and in December 1954 the present line was approved. Although the Minister of Transport

Secretary of State for Transport

The Secretary of State for Transport is the member of the cabinet responsible for the British Department for Transport. The role has had a high turnover as new appointments are blamed for the failures of decades of their predecessors...

 refused to provide financial assistance, the council decided to proceed with the scheme.

The design and roadworks and the overall administration of the scheme were undertaken by the City engineer J Campbell Riddell. Travers Morgan and Partners were appointed as consultants for the design of the bridge itself and the backwater bridges.

As a result of a government credit squeeze, less than a week before contract documents were issued, the project had to be shelved until February 1960. The following June the contract in the sum of £309,903 16s 11d was awarded to the Cementation Company Ltd for the construction of the bridges and the new road and for the demolition of the free Ferry link foot bridge. The overall cost including improvements to the existing approach roads, street lighting, service diversions and landscaping, came to over £400,000.

Donnington Bridge was opened on the 22nd October 1962 by Viscount Hailsham

Quintin Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone

For the businessman and philanthropist, see Quintin Hogg Quintin McGarel Hogg, Baron Hailsham of St Marylebone, KG, CH, PC, QC, FRS , formerly 2nd Viscount Hailsham , was a British politician who was known for the longevity of his career, the vigour with which he campaigned for the Conservative...

 who walked over the bridge. The Lord Mayor of Oxford, Evan Owen Roberts, was the first person to drive over the bridge.

Activity

There is much rowing

Sport rowing

Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...

 on the river by students of Oxford University, and members of the City of Oxford Rowing Club, and residents using the Riverside Centre, between Iffley Lock

Iffley Lock

Iffley Lock is a lock on the River Thames in England near the village of Iffley, Oxfordshire. It is on the southern outskirts of Oxford. The original lock was built by the Oxford-Burcot Commission in 1631 and the Thames Navigation Commission replaced this in 1793...

 downstream from this bridge and Folly Bridge

Folly Bridge

Folly Bridge is a stone bridge over the River Thames carrying the Abingdon Road, south from the centre of Oxford, England. It was erected 1825–27, to designs of a little-known architect, Ebenezer Perry , who practiced in London....

 further upstream. The start of Eights Week

Eights Week

Eights Week, also known as Summer Eights, is a four-day regatta of bumps races which constitutes the University of Oxford's main intercollegiate rowing event of the year. The regatta takes place in May of each year, from the Wednesday to the Saturday of the fifth week of Trinity term...

 and Torpids

Torpids

Torpids is one of two series of bumping races held yearly at Oxford University, the other being Eights. Over 130 men's and women's crews race for their colleges in six men's divisions and five women's; almost 1200 participants in total...

is just south of Donnington Bridge, and the bridge is a good place to view the races because of its high vantage point.