Over Bridge

Over Bridge, also known as Telford's Bridge, is a single-span stone arch bridge located near Gloucester, England, spanning the canalized West Channel of the River Severn and connecting Over to Alney Island. Constructed by Thomas Telford between 1825 and 1828, it was opened in 1830 and served as a traffic route until 1974. Prior to the construction of the Severn Bridge in the 1960s, Over Bridge was the lowest point downstream where the River Severn could be crossed by road.

The bridge's arch spans 150 feet (46 meters) and is based on a design by Jean-Rodolphe Perronet for a bridge over the Seine at Neuilly. It features a corne de vache design, combining an elliptical profile with a segmental profile. Upon completion, the arch sank 2 inches (5.1 cm) when its timber centering was removed and experienced an additional 8 inches (20 cm) of settlement due to foundation movement.

Today, Over Bridge is exclusively for pedestrians, managed by Historic England as a scheduled ancient monument. Road traffic on the A40 now uses a new bridge built alongside and upstream of it. The bridge remains the last road crossing over the Severn before the Severn Crossings. Until December 2018, it was the most downstream free crossing; however, pedestrians had always enjoyed free access. Segregated bicycle paths connect the bridge to Highnam, Alney Island, and Gloucester. Additionally, Over Bridge is visible from trains traveling on the Gloucester to Newport line towards Lydney or Chepstow.