Twickenham Bridge And Attached Railings, Lamp Standards And Light Brackets

Twickenham Bridge is an arched road bridge completed in 1933, designed by Alfred Dryland and Maxwell Ayrton and built by Aubrey Watson Ltd. It spans 145.5 metres in length and 21.3 metres in width, carrying five arches across the Thames—three over the river and two on land. The central span measures 31.4 metres, with the two flanking river arches each spanning 29.9 metres and the land arches at either end measuring 17.1 metres each.

The superstructure is a light, attenuated and rhythmic composition of reinforced concrete arches carried on very narrow piers. The concrete surfaces exhibit a distinctive striated appearance, resulting from specially designed shuttering that was then textured with a bush hammer. Expansion joints are located in the cut-waters, and the arch crowns are articulated with metal edging.

The most striking visual feature comprises decorative bronze coverplates executed in Art Deco style. These emphasise the three structural hinges at the crowns and springings of each arch, drawing attention to the bridge's technical innovation as the first large three-hinged concrete arch bridge built in the United Kingdom. The Art Deco theme continues in ornamental tiles embedded in horizontal seams and bronze cover plates over the expansion joints at the abutments. The bridge has a coved cornice and paired staircase turrets with bastions providing pedestrian access from the embankments. It is furnished with bronze balustrades and lamps of similar design to Chiswick Bridge.

Unlike Chiswick Bridge, which Dryland also designed in reinforced concrete, the three river arches of Twickenham Bridge incorporate permanent hinges allowing for self-adjustment. Three-hinged arches are hinged at the crown and at the springing points, overcoming many defects inherent in fixed arch bridges, particularly the difficulty in calculating abutment reactions. By dividing the arch into free halves, forces acting on the hinges can be exactly calculated, and each half can settle relative to the other without damage. Although the three-hinged arch principle was developed by French and German engineers in the mid-19th century for arched metal roofs and bridges, its application to reinforced concrete structures did not occur until the early 20th century, with French engineer Armand Considère among the foremost innovators.

The bridge was designed following recommendations for a crossing at this site dating from as early as 1909. The delay in construction was caused partly by local objection, and it became known locally as 'The Bridge that Nobody Wants', partly because the approach on the Surrey side cut through the Old Deer Park. Built at a cost of £217,300, with the contract given to Aubrey Watson Ltd in 1931, the bridge was opened on 3 July 1933 by the Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII). It was the second of three bridges opened that day, the others being Chiswick Bridge and Hampton Court Bridge, all forming part of the Great Chertsey arterial road scheme designed to relieve Hammersmith Bridge and alleviate congestion in Richmond. The bridge connects the Old Deer Park in Richmond with the district of St Margaret's on the north bank and is named for its position on the road to Twickenham.

The distinctive architectural ornamentation was the work of Maxwell Ormrod Ayrton, who worked closely with leading structural engineers of the era, notably Sir Owen Williams, contributing architectural input to works such as the British Empire Exhibition at Wembley (1921–4) and the Findhorn and Spey Bridges in Scotland (1924–26). As an architect in his own right, Ayrton or his practice was responsible for Derby Stadium (1948), the Medical Research Council Library at Mill Hill (1950), and the Oliver, Darwin and Heringham blocks of Bedford College for Women at Regents Park (1953). Early in his career, Ayrton was a keen advocate for reinforced concrete, stating in 1926 that 'concrete suffers from having always been regarded as a cheap material with the result that any suggestion of treating it in a seemly manner as a material worthy of architectural recognition has been regarded not only as an extravagance, but as an actual misuse'.

Alfred Dryland, CBE (1865–1946), was a figure of considerable note in road engineering, considered the greatest expert in Britain of his day and a pioneer in the planning and construction of motorways. In 1920 he became County Engineer of Middlesex, overseeing construction of the Great West, Great Cambridge and North Circular roads, with many other roads and bridges in the county falling within his responsibility. The Great West Road from Chiswick to East Bedfont, which he designed, was formally opened by George V in June 1925 and is described as 'a triumph of modern engineering skill in the face of formidable problems'.

The bridge is designated Grade II for its exceptional constructional interest as the first large concrete bridge built on the three-pin principle in the United Kingdom, complemented by strong formal qualities and graceful composition with fine details of importance in the gradual acceptance of concrete as an exposed building material in the United Kingdom. It holds special historic interest as part of the major rebuilding and improvement scheme for the Great Chertsey Road, connected with road expansion in the first half of the 20th century in relation to the rise of the motor car. The bridge also possesses very strong group value with surrounding bridges: Richmond Bridge (Grade I), Richmond Rail Bridge (Grade II) and Richmond Lock and Weir Footbridge (Grade II).