Union Chain Bridge restoration honoured with special international plaque

Restoration of the Union Chain Bridge, which spans the River Tweed near Horncliffe, was completed in April after every single piece was removed, checked and restored or replaced before being carefully reassembled.

The 202-year-old structure is the oldest vehicle suspension bridge in the world and a delegation of leading engineers from around the world visited the bridge this week to help unveil a special plaque on the Scottish side of the structure – celebrating it as an ‘International Historic Civil Engineering Landmark’.

The sponsors of the prestigious award are the Institution of Civil Engineers (UK), the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Japanese Society of Civil Engineers, together with the Patron of Friends of the Union Chain Bridge, Professor Dr Roland Paxton.

Other engineering landmarks that have previously received the honour include the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, Sydney Harbour Bridge in Australia and the Eiffel Tower.

The plaque was originally to have been unveiled in July 2020, to coincide with the bridge’s 200th birthday, but the Covid-19 pandemic put paid to any such event.

The funding bid for the project was put together by Northumberland County Council, Scottish Borders Council, Museums Northumberland and community group Friends of the Union Chain Bridge, following serious concerns about the bridge’s long-term future.

County council leader Glen Sanderson said: “It is always a pleasure to return to the bridge and we’re delighted to have guests from around the world at the unveiling of this beautiful plaque, which quite rightly underlines its importance.”

The project received £3.14million from The National Lottery Heritage Fund in September 2019. Both councils committed match funding towards the scheme, with other fundraising activities progressed by the Friends of Union Chain Bridge.

The restoration combined state-of-the-art technical engineering and techniques used in Alpine ski resorts with traditional workmanship used when the bridge was first built.

Martha Andrews, from Friends of the Union Chain Bridge, said: “We are delighted that the bridge, which is so greatly valued by our members, has been awarded such an important accolade.”