Lowest bridging point

The lowest bridging point (or lowest crossing point) is the location on a river which is crossed by a bridge at its closest point to the sea.

Historically—that is, before the development of engineering technology that allowed the construction of tunnels and road bridges—the lowest bridging point of a river was frequently the point at which an important town or city grew up, and particularly where trade and commerce took place. The place could be served by roads on either side of the river, allowing access from a wide hinterland; had river transport available upstream; and often was at a location that allowed seagoing traffic to approach it from a downstream direction.

Examples

Britain

Examples of historic lowest bridging points in Britain include:

• London , the lowest bridging point on the Thames;
• Lancaster, the lowest bridging point on the Lune;
• York, the lowest bridging point on the Ouse;
• Exeter on the ;
• Gloucester, the lowest bridging point on the Severn.
• Glasgow grew up at the lowest bridging point on the Clyde, which was about upstream from its lowest fording point at Dumbuck.
• Matthew Paris's map of1247 appears to show only onebridge in the whole of Britain: at Stirling, the lowest bridging point on the .

Italy

Medieval Venice was centred either side of the Rialto Bridge, which was the lowest bridging point of the GrandCanal until the of1854.

See also

References