Victoria Bridge over the River Irwell

In 1836 the Quarter Sessions for the Hundred of Salford decreed that the bridge was "insufficient in road way, foot way and water way."  The decree wasn't implemented until September, 1837, when traffic over the bridge was stopped. A temporary wooden bridge was erected whilst the old stone one was taken down, not before its time according to an article in the Manchester Guardian: "On the removing of the key stone of the arch on the Salford side the whole of the masonry from the key stone to the central pier fell over at once into the river."  It took six months to remove the old bridge and the remains of Thomas's chapel and crypt, but by March 31, 1838 the first stone was laid by Elkanah Armitage, Boroughreeve of Salford. Twice, floodwater washed away part of the new work, but by 23 March 1839 the last keystone was laid by Humphrey Trafford, eldest son of the 1st Baronet. The bridge itself cost £10,800 to build, although changes  to its approaches on both sides of the river, increased the total cost to £20,800. The bridge was opened on 20 June 1839, two years to the day from the date of the accession of the Queen, who agreed that it should be called Victoria Bridge after her. The event drew large crowds, who watched as a procession of soldiers twice crossed the bridge, accompanied by regimental bands playing "God Save the Queen". Men working at the forges in the nearby Victoria Arches used anvils and gunpowder to mimic artillery fire.

The bridge had a single arch is 100 feet span, with a rise of 22 feet; the road-way from parapet to parapet is 45 feet; the foot-ways on both sides are 7 feet 6 inches each, leaving a carriageway of 30 feet; the battlements were 4 feet 9 inches high, and their cap-stones 22 inches broad, upon which were placed four highly-wrought cast iron lamp pillars (now lost) and two stone orbs, "the elegance of which is more than questionable." A square block on the centre of the battlement, on the North side, bears the following inscription:

“This bridge was built at the expense of the inhabitants of the hundred of Salford, upon the site of the Salford Old Bridge of three Gothic arches, erected in the year of our Lord 1365.
The first stone was laid in the first year of the reign of Queen Victoria, and the bridge was opened in the third year of Her reign, and in the year of our Lord 1839, and was by Her Majesty’s permission called Victoria Bridge.”

The key-stone below is  inscribed: “V.B. CHARLES CARRINGTON, Bridgemaster, 1839.”
And the key-stone on the South side : “JOHN GANNON, Contractor.”

LAYING THE FIRST STONES OF THE NEW BRIDGE, MANCHESTER. — On Saturday week, the first three stones were laid of the bridge about to be erected in lieu of the Old Bridge, connecting Manchester and Salford, on a fine smooth bed of red sand-rock, about 12 ft. below the surface of the water. Mr. Armitage, the boroughreeve of Salford, and a few other gentlemen, including Mr Carrington, the bridge-master, were present. The three first stones contain 124 cubic feet, weighing 9 tons 10 cwt, and the remainder vary from 1.5 tons to 5 tons each, from the quarries of Bank Lane, near Bury, and the summit near Blackstone Edge. (Blackburn Standard, April 11. 1838.)