Tyne Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne
Date
1771
Creator
John Smeaton (1724 - 1792, British) , Civil engineer
Object type
Archive reference number
Material
Subject
Description
Sectional view of the west front of the Old Tyne Bridge [top], showing various arches, columns and a break where it was destroyed by flood in 1771, and; a plan view of the same. With notes below on Matthew Paris’ account of a fire of 1248, which destroyed this bridge’s wooden predecessor. Not drawn to scale.
Inscribed above: ‘West Front of Tyne Bridge at Newcastle Dec. 1771
see printed Reports III 260’
Below: ‘According to Mathew Paris this Bridge was burnt in the year 1248. Indulgencies were granted for rebuilding it with stone in 1251 – 55 – 57 – 92 – 1315 – 23. Thomas Ruthall, Bishop of Durham in the Reign of Henry the 7th built or repaired the third part of this Bridge towards the South which has been continued by his Successors.’
Original drawing from Designs by the late John Smeaton made on various occasions in the course of his employment as a Civil Engineer from the year 175[?] to 179[?], Volume 4. Containing Designs for Bridges and Buildings. Collected and arranged by John Farey, 1821.
John Smeaton (1724-1792) was a British civil engineer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.
John Farey (1766-1826) was a British geologist and surveyor, he worked on the published reports of John Smeaton’s work between 1809 and 1812.
Inscribed above: ‘West Front of Tyne Bridge at Newcastle Dec. 1771
see printed Reports III 260’
Below: ‘According to Mathew Paris this Bridge was burnt in the year 1248. Indulgencies were granted for rebuilding it with stone in 1251 – 55 – 57 – 92 – 1315 – 23. Thomas Ruthall, Bishop of Durham in the Reign of Henry the 7th built or repaired the third part of this Bridge towards the South which has been continued by his Successors.’
Original drawing from Designs by the late John Smeaton made on various occasions in the course of his employment as a Civil Engineer from the year 175[?] to 179[?], Volume 4. Containing Designs for Bridges and Buildings. Collected and arranged by John Farey, 1821.
John Smeaton (1724-1792) was a British civil engineer, he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1753.
John Farey (1766-1826) was a British geologist and surveyor, he worked on the published reports of John Smeaton’s work between 1809 and 1812.
Object history
Smeaton’s Designs were received by bequest of Mr Edward Farey in November 1913 as indicated in the copies of outgoing correspondence bound in the New Letter Books of the Royal Society, NLB/49/185 and NLB/49/312.
The collection was originally purchased after Smeaton’s death in 1795 by Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society and member of the Committee of the Smeaton Society of Civil Engineers. The committee undertook to publish a comprehensive selection of reports on the drawings which was entrusted to John Farey sr (1766-1826) and assisted by his better-known son John Farey jr (1791-1851) mechanical engineer and Fellow of the Royal Society. The work began in 1809 and resulted in three published volumes, Reports of the late John Smeaton FRS, made on various occasions of his employment as a civil engineer, London, 1812.
The collection was originally purchased after Smeaton’s death in 1795 by Sir Joseph Banks, President of the Royal Society and member of the Committee of the Smeaton Society of Civil Engineers. The committee undertook to publish a comprehensive selection of reports on the drawings which was entrusted to John Farey sr (1766-1826) and assisted by his better-known son John Farey jr (1791-1851) mechanical engineer and Fellow of the Royal Society. The work began in 1809 and resulted in three published volumes, Reports of the late John Smeaton FRS, made on various occasions of his employment as a civil engineer, London, 1812.
Associated place