Sunderland Bridge, County Durham

Bridge in Sunderland Bridge

54°44′03″N 1°35′23″W / 54.7341°N 1.58965°W / 54.7341; -1.58965OS grid referenceNZ 265 378CarriesWeardale Way

CrossesRiver Wear

LocaleSunderland Bridge

Heritage statusGrade I listed building, scheduled monument

Next upstreamCroxdale Viaduct

Next downstreamCroxdale Road Bridge

CharacteristicsWidth18 ft (5.5 m)

No. of spans4

HistoryOpened14th century

Location

Sunderland Bridge is a bridge just outside the village also called Sunderland Bridge in County Durham, England. It lies close to the confluence of the River Wear and River Browney.

Sunderland Bridge originally carried the Great North Road (A1) across the River Wear, and probably dates back to the 14th century. It is built of dressed sandstone with four semicircular arches. The bridge has undergone several rebuilds, with the end arches being rebuilt in 1770, the parapets widened in 1822, and new end walls built in the 19th century. It is a Grade I listed structure.^[1]

When a new bridge was needed as the existing bridge was not wide enough to cope with traffic, Croxdale Bridge was constructed to the east of the existing bridge. The A1 at this point was later re-designated as the A167, and Croxdale Bridge continues to carry this road.

Sunderland Bridge now carries very little road traffic after Durham County Council closed off the old route of the Great North Road at local request. It allows access to the private Croxdale estate and a sewage works. The bridge also forms part of the Weardale Way long-distance footpath. The bridge straddles the parishes of Brandon and Byshottles and Croxdale and Hett.^[1]