Gloucester Westgate Bridge

Has been described as a Certain Fortified Bridge

There are no visible remains

NameGloucester Westgate Bridge
Alternative NamesGreat Bridge
Historic CountryGloucestershire
Modern AuthorityGloucestershire
1974 AuthorityGloucestershire
Civil ParishGloucester

Bridge crossing the River Severn in Gloucester. It was rebuilt in 1222 and fortified by brattice and barbican circa 1225. (PastScape)

To the far west there was the medieval West Gate, probably built at the same at the bridge in the reign of Henry II. This gate, rebuilt in the time of Henry VIII, survived into the 19th century as an ornamental approach. (Lobel 1969)

The west gate, a substantial structure with four corner turrets, was removed in 1805 or 1806 in preparation for the rebuilding of Westgate bridge. (VCH)

Gatehouse Comments

Was, seemingly, a free standing gatehouse on the east end of Westgate Bridge, one of several connected bridges and causeways across the wide floodplain of the River Severn. Seems to have been considered to be be part of the Gloucester city defences.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSO824190
Latitude51.8690490722656
Longitude-2.25540995597839
Eastings382410
Northings219020
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Herbert, N.M., 1988, 'Bridges, gates, and walls' and 'Gloucester Castle' in Herbert, N.M. (ed), VCH Gloucestershire Vol. 4 (Oxford: OUP for the Institute of Historical Research) p. 242-7 online transcription
  • Lobel, M.D., 1969, 'Gloucester' in Lobel, M.D. (ed), Historic Towns: Maps and Plans of Towns and Cities in the British Isles, with Historical Commentaries, from Earliest Times to 1800 Vol. 1 (London: Lovell Johns-Cook, Hammond and Kell Organization) p. 7 online copy
  • Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 651-6

Journals

  • Harrison, D., McKeague, P. and Watson, B., 2010, 'England's fortified medieval bridges and bridge chapels: a new survey' Medieval Settlement Research Vol. 25 p. 45-51 online copy
  • 1974, The Antiquaries Journal Vol. 54 p. 49-51

Other

  • Bruce Watson, 2013 Sept, Gazetteer of fortified bridges (working list kindly shared with Gatehouse) (records Westgate and Great Bridge as two separate entries - reflecting the PastScape records but this is the same bridge)