14 July 2021,
Alison Keld volunteers for the project and she talks about a River Hull landmark.
Rising from a series of springs in the Yorkshire Wolds, the River Hull we see today enters the Humber Estuary by The Deep Aquarium in Kingston Upon Hull.
Historians tell us the river originally flowed westwards from Wincolmlee, veering southwards under where the City Hall now stands before snaking along the route of Waterhouse Lane, Kingston Retail Park and finally entering the River Humber at the site of Albert Dock.
Severe flooding centuries ago is thought to have been the reason for the change of direction. The route of the old river gradually silted up and disappeared under new buildings and roads.
The city has thirteen bridges that either swing or lift to open, allowing shipping to travel up and down the River Hull.
No other city has so many opening bridges over such a short distance of navigable river.
One of my favourite bridges across the river is the Wilmington Swing Bridge. I particularly like the wooden matchboard cabin with the bell on the top. It looks a little shabby these days, but is still a functioning swing bridge, and reputed to be the most opened bridge on the River Hull.
It was built by the North Eastern Railway in 1904 to replace the old railway bridge that was built in 1853 to carry the Victoria or East Dock Railway over the River.
Railway use ceased in 1968 and the bridge now operates as an electric powered pedestrian/cycleway connecting Wincolmlee on the west side to a path on the east side that leads on to Foster Street and Stoneferry Road.
Do you have a favourite bridge that crosses the River Hull?
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