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It was the first bridge with masonry foundations to be built in a tidal waterway (H. Shirley 43).

 

As pier after pier was added to the structure the difficulties produced by the great rush of water through the narrowing space left to it must have made the pile-driving and other work increasingly difficult and hazardous.  It is in fact quite possible that some 250 lives were lost during the work.  Year after year it continued, an arch being completed on the average every 18 months.  the pile drivers, mounted no doubt on specially constructed barges, would be an everyday sight, and loungers on teh wooden bridge would have watched the slow winding up followed by the sudden drop of the heavy weights which inch by inch brough t the pile down to the level of low water.  They would have watched the hoisting of the blocks of stone from teh barges, the difficulty of gettin gthe lowest coursess of masonry placed on the foundations just exposed at low tide, and the pouring in of hot pitch, and later on would have seen the carpenters fixing their wooden centering uopon which were placed the carefully shaped voussoirs of the arch stones (H. Shirley 45).

 

The funds for the building of the bridge came from both national and private sources.  In addition to endowments and generous individual subscriptions, chiefly from dignitaries of the church, revenue was forthcoming from a special tax on wool imposed by Henry II.  Hence the oft-repeated tale that the foundation of the bridge were laid on woolpacks.  The cost of building the bridge chapel was borne by the master mason, who was a mayor of London.  Could any clearer sign be needed of the pride that such craftsman took in their work?.. The fame of old London bridge, however, probably rests chiefly on its street of houses and shops, the rents from which were intended, with the help of tolls, to pay for its upkeep (H. Shirley 46).

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Luoyang Bridge, China’s earliest stone beam bridge built in the seaport, spans the Luoyang River from south to north in the southern suburb of Quanzhou... Luoyang Bridge was built from 1053 and was completed in 1059... Built from light grey granite, the bridge resembles a silver dragon lying above the green water. The bridge features ship-like piers and a unique method of oyster consolidation. The ship-like piers could easily cut the rapid current in the river. Thousands of oysters were bred around the footstones and piers so that their secretions would act as kind of cement. This was the world’s first example of the use of biology in bridge building and shows the great wisdom of the ancient Chinese people.

 

<yeschinatour.com...>

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Perrine's Bridge

New York

1850

 

Perrine's Bridge is the second oldest bridge in the State of New York, after the Hyde Hall Bridge in East Springfield. Once located in the hamlet called Perrines Bridge between 1850 and 1861. It is located in the modern day town of Esopus-Rosendale, New York just a few hundred feet to the east of Interstate 87 crossing of the Wallkill River in Ulster County, New York. Originally built to aid in the movement of trade between the towns of Rifton and Rosendale, the bridge is about two hours northwest of New York city between mile markers 81 and 82 on the New York State Thruway (I-87).

 

<en.wikipedia.org...>

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Rialto Bridge

Over the Grand Canal in Venice

1588

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Pont du Gard

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