Swing Bridge, Royal William Victualling Yard

The Swing Bridge at the Royal William Victualling Yard is a cast-iron structure built around 1833-1835 by the Horsley Iron Company. It features two matching halves on opposite sides of the entrance to the basin, each made up of four braced plates that support a wooden deck with railings, forming an elliptical arch. The bridge rotates on a cogged wheel and is operated by a handle. The sides of the bridge are marked with the inscription "HORSLEY IRON CO/NEAR/BIRMINGHAM" within a wreath of bay leaves and an anchor.

This bridge is similar in design to another swing bridge from 1838 located in the South Yard of Devonport Dockyard, also made by the Horsley Iron Company. It was designed by engineer John Rennie to enhance circulation around the basin and is recognized for its significance within the context of the Royal William Victualling Yard. This yard is noted as one of the most remarkable and complete early 19th-century industrial complexes in the UK and serves as a unique example of Neo-Classical planning for a state manufacturing site.