In this episode of Danny Hurst´s Unusual Histories Bridge Series, he reaches Kingston-Upon-Thames the location of two of the oldest bridges in London. As a bonus, he also tells you about a nearby bridge that is even older than the ones at Kingston. 

Danny reveals the connection the bridges have with salmon, witch trials, the incredibly violent traditional football matches, twin power stations, the oldest shipyard on the river, Braveheart and much more.

If you can´t get enough of these podcasts, head to https://www.patreon.com/DannyHurst to access my exclusive, member-only, fun-filled and fact-packed history-related videos.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Until Putney Bridge opened in 1729, Kingston was the only place to cross The Thames between Staines and London Bridge.

• The blue plaque on Kingston Bridge references one of the area's lost industries.

• The nearby Clattern Bridge is thought to be the oldest intact bridge in London.

• There has been a bridge in the area since Roman times.

• The original Kingston Bridge was made of cast iron.

• Kingston Upon Thames was where 7 Saxon kings were crowned, including one king that the locals mostly keep quiet about.

• Kingston was the first royal borough in England.

• The stone the bridge is made from is self-cleaning.

BEST MOMENTS

“The first power station closed in 1959 the second in 1980.”

“The coronation stone stands outside the Guild Hall in Kingston and has a coin from the reign of each of those aforementioned 7 kings (crowned here).”

“Clattern Bridge is thought to date back to around 1175 making it not only one of the oldest intact bridges in London, but also one of the oldest in England.”

“While politicians filibustered (about replacing the bridge), nature intervened, and during a particularly intense frost in 1814 a whole section of the bridge collapsed.”

EPISODE RESOURCES

https://www.citybridgefoundation.org.uk

Barnes Bridge episode - https://omny.fm/shows/unusual-histories/047-uh

HOST BIO

Historian, performer, and mentor Danny Hurst has been engaging audiences for many years, whether as a lecturer, stand-up comic or intervention teacher with young offenders and excluded secondary students. Having worked with some of the most difficult people in the UK, he is a natural storyteller and entertainer, whilst purveying the most fascinating information that you didn't know you didn't know. A writer and host of pub quizzes across London, he has travelled extensively and speaks several languages. He has been a consultant for exhibitions at the Imperial War Museum and Natural History Museum in London as well as presenting accelerated learning seminars across the UK. With a wide range of knowledge ranging from motor mechanics to opera to breeding carnivorous plants, he believes learning is the most effective when it's fun. Uniquely delivered, this is history without the boring bits, told the way only Danny Hurst can.

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