Whitefriars Bridge

Whitefriars Bridge, also known as the Bridge of St Martins, is a stone bridge over the River Wensum in Norwich, England, carrying the street Whitefriars.

History

A bridge on the site named the Bridge of St Martins dates to 1110–20. During Kett's Rebellion in 1549, John Dudley, Earl of Warwick ordered the destruction of all bridges to Norwich, though later modified the order to include only Whitefriars Bridge; this order was successful, and the bridge was destroyed.
It was subsequently rebuilt in stone in 1591 with a large arch and two turrets. This was taken down during the reign of James I. The bridge was repaired or altered in 1835. That year, a stone coin mould was dredged from the river close to the bridge, seemingly a 19th-century attempt to duplicate Roman coins.
The bridge was rebuilt in 1924–5 by city engineer A. E. Collins. Aerial photographs of the bridge during World War II depict a road block and a possible above-ground air raid shelter.