Description and History of Site:-
Single span cast iron road bridge over the river Aire. Cast at Shelf Iron works by Aydon and Elwell for John Pollard in 1819 and erected at a total cost of £1,500. The bridge was refurbished in 1982/3 at a cost of £46,220 at which date it was closed to vehicular traffic.

Pollard Bridge This cast-iron bridge across the River Aire at Horsforth was erected by John Pollard of Newlay House in 1819. It was manufactured at the Shelf ironworks of Ayden & Elwell. It is c 92ft long and 12ft 6in wide carrying a 7ft carriageway of sets between iron kerbs. The ballustrade is 4 ft 6 in high and is composed of 12 sections each 7ft 8 in long.

Cast iron arch bridge, Newlay This very attractive bridge carries a minor road over the River Aire in the outskirts of Leeds. It was cast in 1819 by Aydon and Elwell of Shelf Ironworks near Bradford (which firm became part of the Low Moor Ironworks, latterly owned by T.W. Ward). Built as a toll bridge connected with the Micklethwaite Estate, it was taken over in 1888 jointly by the railway (then the Midland Railway) and the Council (Horsforth) and gives access to Newlay and Horsforth Station. The 82 ft span has four segmental cast iron arch ribs each in three sections, on pin type bearings. The spandrels have plain radials leaving six openings of rhomboid shape in each casting. This is similar to Scarborough Spa Bridge (HEW 211) and the late Dunham Toll Bridge over the Trent (of which there is a model on display at Lincoln). The Newlay Bridge carries a very narrow road of 10 ft width and two nominal 3 ft footways. It was repaired in 1973.

See Falconer and PHEW Built 1819 Refurbished 1984. Closed to vehicular traffic in 1986.

Public road bridge over River Aire. Dated 1819, restored
c1985. Cast and wrought-iron, with sandstone abutments.
Battered sandstone abutments each end; single segmental span
of 4 slender H-section ribs interconnected by regular
cast-iron lattice braces, stayed by wrought-iron rods to
slender joists supporting deck; a plaque at the keystone
position has raised lettering: 'JP/ AD1819'; low parapet of
panelled iron carrying railings. Sett-paved deck with tarmac
side pavements; protected on both sides by stick-baluster
railings in sections between openwork standards which have
diamond-latticed panels at the bottom and Y-tracery panels at
the top.
Attached to both inner sides of the standards in the centre is
an oval plaque with raised lettering: 'JOHN/ POLLARD/ NEWLEY
HOUSE/ ERECTED THIS/ BRIDGE/ A.D/ 1819..'; an oval plaque with
small lettering on the same casting: 'AYDON & ELWELL/ SHELF/
IRON WORKS/ NEAR BRADFORD/ YORKSHIRE'.
One of only 2 such bridges built by Aydon and Elwell surviving
in this county; the other is the Gasworks bridge at Sowerby
Bridge. One of the oldest iron bridges in Yorkshire, it was
erected in 1819 to connect Whitecote with the Leeds-Horsforth
turnpike. Pollard's scribbling mill and weaving shed stood on
the S side of the river, E side of Pollard Lane. The parapet
railings were replaced and the cobbles relaid in the 1980s.
(Thomas RCN: A Noble Scene of Industry: 33; Brears P: Museum
of Leeds Trail: 40).

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Key Words :- cast iron road bridge single span arch

Viewing the Site :- Can be viewed from the public footpath over the bridge, limited parking on Newlay Lane

Address :- Newlay Lane, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS13 1EQ
Grid Ref :- SE 23876 36943
Co-ordinates :- Lat 53.828208 , Long -1.638740
Local Authority :- Leeds Council
Pre 1974 County :- Yorkshire - West Riding
Site Status :- Listed - Grade II*
Historic England List No - 1375481,
Site Condition :- Site conserved and open to the public
Site Dates :- 1819 - Present
Record Date :- 26 November 2014

Copyright :- cc-by-nc-sa 4.0 © John Suter