brought to London, and erected at the bowling-green of the
Yorkshire Stingo public-house, where it was exhibited to the
public; Paine not being able to defray the expense, the arch was
taken down and carried back to Rotherham; part of it was
afterwards used in the Sunderland bridge, and part, it is
supposed, in the Staines bridge. This last, like its immediate
predecessor, was not destined to last long, for it had scarcely
been opened one month, when it was found necessary to close it
to the public, the arch having sunk in a very alarming degree.
His late Majesty King George the Third was said to have been
among the last to pass over it. In this emergency the late Mr.
Rennie was consulted, who pronounced the bridge altogether
dangerous, in consequence of the weakness of the abutments. No
alternative remained but to remove the iron bridge entirely, and
patch up the old wooden bridge until a new one of wood was
built. That bridge, which is the present old bridge, continued
to stand, with various repairs and alterations, until the year
1828, when, in consequence of the decay of the piles, and the
continual heavy expenses required to uphold it, the
Commissioners determined to build a new one of more durable
materials. Messrs. Rennie were therefore applied to for designs,
and a bill was brought into Parliament to authorize the
Commissioners to raise funds. The works were commenced in the
spring of 1829, and on the 14th of September following the first
stone was laid by their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Clarence (their present Majesties). Since then, the works have
been carried on to their present completion under the direction
of Mr. G. Rennie and Mr. Brown, the superintendents, and Messrs.
Jolliffe and Banks, the contractors."