Perry Bridge

Perry Bridge
File:Perry Bridge.jpg
Coordinates
Carries	Now only pedestrian
Crosses	River Tame
Locale	Perry Barr, Birmingham, England
Maintained by	Birmingham City Council
Characteristics
Total length	50 metres (164 ft)
Width	4 metres (13 ft)
History
Construction end	1711
Location

Perry Bridge, also known as the Zig Zag Bridge, is a bridge over the River Tame in Perry Barr, Birmingham, England. Built in 1711, it is a Grade II listed building and a Scheduled monument.

The bridge is constructed of red sandstone in a packhorse style. It is believed that it is the bridge built by order of the Staffordshire Quarter Sessions, held in 1709, to take the place of a 'wood horse bridge' (Perry Barr was in Staffordshire until 1928). It is said to have been built by Sir Henry Gough of nearby Perry Hall. A crossing has been on the spot since Roman times as this was the exact spot where Ryknild Street (today's Aldridge Road) crossed the river, giving rise to the local placename, "Holford". A stream, "Holbrook", joins the river adjacent to the bridge.

Written evidence of this crossing date back to as early as 1509 when there was mention of a field, named "Bridge Meadow", being located nearby.

File:Zigzag Bridge sign.jpg

Sign that was erected near the bridge circa 1905 and removed when the new bridge opened in 1932

The bridge is 50 feet (15 m) in length and 13 feet (4 m) wide. The parapets on each side rise nearly 3 feet (1 m). It is now open only to pedestrian traffic. It appears in the badge of Handsworth Grammar School.

A replacement bridge, in Art Deco style, built in 1932, stands alongside, and carries vehicular traffic on the route.

References

• British History Online: 1890 Ordnance Survey 1:2,500: Epoch 1