Westminster Bridge
Westminster Bridge is a road-and-foot-traffic bridge over the River Thames in London, linking Westminster on the west side and Lambeth on the east side.
Westminster Bridge
A302 road
820 feet (250 m)
85 feet (26 m)
7
(first bridge) 18 November 1750
(second bridge) 24 May 1862
The bridge is painted predominantly green, the same colour as the leather seats in the House of Commons which is on the side of the Palace of Westminster nearest to the bridge, but a natural shade similar to verdigris. This is in contrast to Lambeth Bridge, which is red, the same colour as the seats in the House of Lords and is on the opposite side of the Houses of Parliament.[1]
In 2005–2007, it underwent a complete refurbishment, including replacing the iron fascias and repainting the whole bridge.
It links the Palace of Westminster on the west side of the river with County Hall and the London Eye on the east and was the finishing point during the early years of the London Marathon.
The next bridge downstream is the Hungerford Bridge & Golden Jubilee Bridges and upstream is Lambeth Bridge. Westminster Bridge was designated a Grade II* listed structure in 1981.[2]
Westminster Bridge Act 1735
An Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from The New Palace Yard, in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey.
9 Geo. 2. c. 29
20 May 1736
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act for explaining and amending an Act passed in the Ninth Year of the Reign of His present Majesty, intituled, "An Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from The New Palace Yard, in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surrey."
10 Geo. 2. c. 16
21 June 1737
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the Woolstaple, or thereabouts, in the Parish of Saint Margaret, in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surrey.
11 Geo. 2. c. 25
20 May 1738
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to enlarge the Powers of the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from The Woolstaple, or thereabouts, in the Parish of Saint Margaret, in the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore, in the County of Surrey; and to enable them, by a Lottery, to raise Money, for the several Purposes therein mentioned; and to enlarge the Time for exchanging Tickets unclaimed in the last Lottery for the said Bridge; and to make Provision for Tickets in the said Lottery, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
12 Geo. 2. c. 33
13 June 1739
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to give further Powers to the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey; and to enable them to raise a further Sum of Money, towards finishing the said Bridge, and to perform the other Trusts reposed in them.
13 Geo. 2. c. 16
29 April 1740
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to enable the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey, to raise a further Sum of Money, towards finishing the said Bridge, and to perform the other Trusts reposed in them; and for exchanging of Tickets unclaimed in the Westminster Bridge Lottery of the Twelfth Year of His present Majesty's Reign; and for making Provision for Tickets in the said Lottery, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
14 Geo. 2. c. 40
25 April 1741
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act for the better enabling the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey, to finish the said Bridge, and to perform the other Trusts reposed in them; and for enlarging the Time for exchanging of Tickets unclaimed in the last Lottery for the said Bridge, and to make Provision for Tickets in the said Lottery, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
15 Geo. 2. c. 26
15 July 1742
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to explain and make more effectual several Acts of Parliament, passed in the Reign of His present Majesty, for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey; and for the better enabling the Commissioners for building the said Bridge to finish the same, and to perform the other Trusts reposed in them; as also for granting further Time for exchanging the Tickets unclaimed in the last Lottery for the said Bridge, and to make Provision for Tickets in the said Lottery, lost, burnt, or otherwise destroyed.
17 Geo. 2. c. 32
12 May 1744
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act for granting further Powers to the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey; and for the better enabling them to finish the said Bridge, and to perform the other Trusts reposed in them.
18 Geo. 2. c. 29
2 May 1745
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to enable the Commissioners for building a Bridge cross the River Thames, from the City of Westminster, to the opposite Shore in the County of Surry, to purchase Houses and Grounds, and to widen the Ways, and make more safe and commodious the Streets, Avenues, and Passages, leading from Charing Cross to the Two Houses of Parliament, Westminster Hall, and the Courts of Justice there, and Westminster Bridge; and to enable a less Number of Commissioners to execute the several Acts relating to the said Bridge than at present are required by Law; and for Relief of George and James King, with regard to a Lease taken by their late Father from the said Commissioners.
29 Geo. 2. c. 38
27 May 1756
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to enable the Commissioners for building Westminster Bridge to widen the Street, or Avenue, leading from Cockspur Street to the Passage in Spring Garden, near Saint James's Park.
30 Geo. 2. c. 34
28 June 1757
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act for vesting in the Commissioners of Westminster Bridge the legal Estate in Fee Simple of certain Estates vested in Thomas Prickard, an Infant Trustee, and others; and for confirming a Sale made by the said Commissioners, and for making them a Corporation, and giving them further Powers of selling and leasing.
54 Geo. 3. c. cxxxii
17 June 1814
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to enable the Commissioners of Westminster Bridge to build a temporary Bridge across the River Thames from Bridge Street in the City of Westminster to the opposite Shore in the County of Surrey.
13 & 14 Vict. c. cxii
14 August 1850
Westminster Bridge Act 1853
An Act to transfer Westminster Bridge and the estates of the Commissioners of Westminster Bridge to the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works and Public Buildings, and to enable such last-mentioned Commissioners to remove the present bridge and to build a new bridge on or near the site thereof.
16 & 17 Vict. c. 46
4 August 1853
- Westminster Bridge Act 1735
- Westminster Bridge Act 1736
- Westminster Bridge Act 1737
- Westminster Bridge Act 1738
- Westminster Bridge Act 1739
- Westminster Bridge Act 1740
- Westminster Bridge Act 1741
- Westminster Bridge Act 1743
- Westminster Bridge Act 1744
- Westminster Bridge Act 1757
- Westminster Bridge Act 1756
- Prickard's Estate and Westminster Bridge Commissioners Act 1814
- Westminster Bridge Act 1850
An Act to empower the Commissioners of Her Majesty's Works and Public Buildings to acquire additional Space for the Western Approach to Westminster New Bridge.
22 & 23 Vict. c. 58
13 August 1859
An Act for the better regulation of the traffic on Westminster Bridge and for the prevention of obstructions thereon.
27 & 28 Vict. c. 88
29 July 1864
Westminster Bridge, around 1750. The proprietors of the bridge had to pay compensation to the operators of the earlier 'Horseferry', and to local watermen
Westminster & Lambeth, 1746. Westminster Bridge, opened in 1740, connects Westminster to Lambeth; Huntley Ferry crosses the river on the site of the future Vauxhall Bridge
The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons by J. M. W. Turner, 1835, with Westminster Bridge on the right
Street lamps on the bridge
The coat of arms of Henry John Temple, 3rd Viscount Palmerston on the bridge. Palmerston was Prime Minister when the current bridge was opened.
Westminster Bridge By-Laws Notice
