Beales Lane Footbridge Over The River Wey

Beales Lane Footbridge over the River Wey is a river footbridge built in the late 19th century, specifically between 1868 and 1898. It carries a footpath from Beales Lane to Whittet's Ait over the River Wey.

The bridge is made of cast and wrought iron, featuring a concrete aggregate deck and approach. It spans 18 meters and consists of a segmental arch supported by twelve wrought iron latticed panels. Each panel is topped with iron ball finials, and alternate panels have iron brackets at the base. The ends of the bridge are marked by square cast iron piers with pyramidal tops and ball finials. The pathway and approach are constructed of cement aggregate. The southern approach includes four tapering cast iron bollards, three of which have a central ball-shaped projection and ball finials, while the northern end has three identical cast iron bollards.

The exact date of construction is currently unknown, but designs for a similar bridge intended for a different location were dated 1846 and were never built. An 1844 Tithe map indicates a bridge at this location, while an 1868 Ordnance Survey map shows it as disused, with a map from 1898 indicating it was in use again, suggesting it was built during the period between these two dates.

This footbridge is significant as a late 19th-century single span cast and wrought iron structure, retaining its approach path furniture and serving as an intact example of an uncommon building type with architectural embellishments.