About Sutton Bridge

The current swing bridge known as Crosskeys Bridge which spans the Nene was built in 1897 and was the third bridge to cross the river. John Rennie the Younger and Thomas Telford designed the first which was opened in 1831 as part of the Wash Embankment works. It was of timber and cast iron and opened up rather like Tower Bridge in London.

The bridge was found to be awkwardly sited and in 1850, its replacement designed by Robert Stephenson was opened, its position being approximately halfway between the original one and the present one. It was a swing bridge, used only for road traffic until 1864 when the Midland Railway acquired powers to use it for rail traffic too.

The current bridge was built in 1897 and cost £80,000 to build. The swing span is 53m.(176 ft.) long. It was hoped that the 1850 bridge could be left in position for rail use but the river authorities decided that two bridges so close together constituted a hazard for shipping, and it was removed. The current bridge was dual purpose, serving both road and rail traffic until 1965 when it took on its present day usage for road traffic travelling on the A17 between Lincolnshire and Norfolk. Armstrong Whitworth built the engines which supplied the power to swing the bridge. The hydraulic house is now undergoing conversion to a family home but will retain the hydraulics and accumulators, which are housed in a 12m. (40 ft.) high tower.
Tolls were charged on the bridge until 1903. The bridge swings several times a week to allow ships and pleasure craft using the River Nene to pass through to the Port of Wisbech.