Gas Works Bridge, Over River Calder

Gas Works Bridge, over the River Calder, is a bridge built in 1816 and widened in the mid-19th century. It was designed by Aydon and Elwell from Shelf Ironworks in Bradford for Messrs Thos Fearnside & Son of Mearclough Bottom Mill. The bridge features cast iron and steel construction with stone abutments. It has a single wide segmental cast-iron arch that rises from stone abutment walls and is supported at each end by four curved braces. The mid-19th century widening involved steel panels bolted together, which rise in the center of the bridge. Above these panels are railings made of standards supporting three round-sectioned rails. A cast-iron date plaque, which was removed from the bridge and is now displayed in Bankfield Industrial Museum in Halifax, records the construction date, the founders, and the client. This bridge is noted to be the earliest remaining cast-iron bridge in Calderdale, and similar castings were used by the same firm for the high-level bridge at Scarborough.