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Turvey Bridge is the oldest crossing of the River Great Ouse in Bedfordshire.
There was first a bridge built in or before 1136, the present bridge still has a few parts of the original!
The bridge as we see it today was rebuilt in 1795, and again in 1820.
It was widened in 1920 and again in 1932 to accommodate the increase in traffic. Reinforced concrete and 10 inches (25cm) of limestone were added.
Turvey Bridge
The border between the counties of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire is on this bridge.
The A428 main road goes over the bridge, carrying traffic through Turvey to Bedford and Cambridge in the East and towards Northampton in the West. It is a very busy road.
Turvey Bridge is 600 foot long (183 metres) and made of local grey stone. It has eleven arches which range between 10ft 9in (3.3m) and 20ft 3in (6.2m).
The Great Ouse splits into two separate streams just before the bridge then recombines again just after.
Keeping the bridge in good repair was sometimes quite difficult in the past.
In 1825 the bill for essential repairs was £120 8s 1d.
This very large sum was inflated by the fact that a long and costly search was required to discover who was responsible for paying to fix the bridge.
Since 1889 all maintenance has been the responsibility of the County Council.
Turvey Bridge has been closed due to flooding on a few occasions in the recent past. The Turvey Under Water page has more details.
This painting dates from 1820. On the left is the Three Fyshes Public House. In the centre is the east end of Turvey Bridge . (Click image to enlarge)
Protestors crossing Turvey Bridge in 1981, heading into the village. The Three Fyshes is again in the picture.
(Click image to enlarge)
Turvey Bridge is busy, even on a very wet day. This was taken in June 2010.
(Click image to enlarge)
Turvey Bridge around 1900.
(Click image to enlarge)
View of Turvey Bridge, taken from the Mill. C. 1918
Jonah stands in the foreground (see green box on right)
Click image to enlarge
The statue that stands in the Mill Pond, by the bridge is called Jonah. He is quite a local celebrity.. And so has his very own page on the Turvey Website!
Click here to go see it...
A little fellow feeds the ducks on the Turvey Mill Pond, down by the bridge, in the 1950s.
This has been a popular pastime for many generations of Turvey folk.
Click the image to enlarge.