Framwellgate Bridge is a mediaeval masonry arch bridge across the River Wear, in Durham, England. It is a Grade I listed building. The bridge was constructed in the early twelfth century (around 1120) on the orders of Bishop Ranulf Flambard.
Like Elvet Bridge, Framwellgate Bridge had to be repaired in the early 15th century due to flood damage, and for a time the crossing point was maintained by a ferry boat. The bridge that has stood to the present day was built on the orders of Bishop Thomas Langley and widened in the early 19th century. Some sources indicate that both ends of bridge were fortified by towers and gates, though others infer only a single gatehouse was built on the peninsula side of the river. In any case, the defensive structures were demolished in 1760.
In the 14th Century, the bridge was the scene of the murder of Bishop's Steward Richard Fitzmarmaduke by his cousin Ralph Neville (the 'Peacock of the North').
Until the construction of Millburngate Bridge in 1969, the bridge was the main traffic route from the west through the centre of Durham. Today the bridge is mainly pedestrianised, and only occasional service vehicles use it. The structure is Listed Grade I.
By road: On the west side of the peninsular, linking North Road and Silver Street and near the Millburngate Shopping Centre
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Forgotten Relics - Listed Bridges and Viaducts
