Pooley Bridge, Ullswater, Cumbria

Inspired design and sensitive consultation with the local community has culminated in a new bridge to replace a 300-year-old predecessor which was washed away by floods. The original Pooley Bridge near Ullswater, built in 1764, was destroyed by Storm Desmond in 2015.  

OUR JOURNEY

Residents and local businesses were offered the chance to add their name to Pooley “New” Bridge for posterity as part of a scheme which raised up to £50,000 for the local community. 301 of the Beige Pirineo sandstone pavers were laser-etched with these names at IP Surfaces as a lasting reminder of those who contributed to the community fund. The specific piece that denotes the County Council’s name and logo was laser-etched and also painted. Knight Architects designed the bridge following an intense stakeholder engagement process, listening to the community and focusing on their common aspirations to achieve a design that fitted with their sense of identity and that satisfied the technical standards required. Diane Bourne, managing director of Eric Wright Civil Engineering, which installed the bridge, said it would be a “historic landmark for years to come”.