| Caversham
Bridge
The river crossing at Caversham carried the original road from Southampton
and Reading to Oxford. As the lowest fording place on the Thames was
at Wallingford, the crossing at Caversham was by at first by boat. But
by 1231 there was a bridge on the site, with a chapel on the bridge.
The bridge was wooden and very narrow and tolls were collected twice
as the bridge was owned by both William, Earl Marshall on one side and
the Abbot of Reading Abbey on the other.
During the Civil War part of the bridge was taken down so that the King’s
forces from Oxford could not cross and help lift the siege of the town.
In 1814 the bridge was rebuilt by William Blandy who was repaid by public
subscription. It was then renewed completely in 1830 but the Caversham
side was built in stone while the Reading side was made of wood and
metal. This was due to neither side having control of the bridge, and
neither side being able to agree how the bridge should be built.
In 1868-9 Caversham Bridge was replaced again, this time with a new
iron bridge replaced the two halves, but this proved too narrow. Caversham
Bridge was replaced between 1924 and 1926. At the same time the paths
and gardens between the bridges, originally laid out in 1907 were improved.
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