Leeds Bridge
Carries Briggate/Hunslet Road across the River Aire.
There had been a masonry bridge at this location from the 14th century or earlier. The bridge was widened several times in the 18thC, and demolished in 1871 to make way for an iron arch bridge. The bridge can be seen in this 1847/50 map. The map also shows the Old Bridge Foundry a short distance upstream on the north bank. Was this Leeds Bridge Foundry?
1871 New bridge: Mr David Nichols, of Leeds was the contractor, and Messrs. John Butler Iron Works of Stanningley constructed the ironwork.[1] Designed by Thomas Dyne Steel.
Span 102 ft 6". Slightly skewed. The main arches are constructed from riveted wrought iron plate. The outermost arches, parapets and lamp posts are cast iron. Fig 3 shows the main arches, and some of the joints in the cast iron sections are just discernible.
There are small arches through the masonry abutments. One is visible in Fig 1. In Fig 2, behind the prominent buildings is a cobbled lane called Pitfall Lane, which runs down to the river. Pitfall Mill was here, but it was replaced in 1694 by a water-driven pumping engine designed by George Sorocold. This pumped water to cisterns.[2]. Fig 2 shows a prominent culvert, which is probably not related to the water engine, but to the right of that can be seen a blocked-off culvert (there is another one to the left of that, not visible in photo). These may have been related to the water engine.