A historic canal bridge in Braunston, Northamptonshire, is getting a much-needed makeover, thanks to a generous gift from late waterways supporter and local resident, Peter Andrews.
Braunston Bridge (Bridge 91A) before repair works began
In life, Peter was a canal enthusiast and staunch advocate for our charity. A former school teacher, he moved to the quiet village of Braunston following retirement, spending many happy hours walking his dog and litter-picking along the towpath.
After Peter sadly passed away, he left a remarkable legacy of over £160,000 in his Will with a clear wish that it is used to enhance the canal in the Braunston, ensuring others can continue to enjoy the area as he once did.
After some deliberation, it was agreed that Peter’s gift should go towards restoring Braunston Bridge, a beloved local footbridge that carries the towpath over the Grand Union Canal, at the mouth of Braunston Marina.
Volunteers get to work on Braunston Bridge in Northamptonshire
Built in the 1790s, as part of the original construction of the canal, the charming black-and-white footbridge has seen better days.
“There were an awful lot of bricks missing,” recalls project manager, Mark Whitfield, “and still more that had to be replaced due to water or vegetation damage. In all, I think we took out nearly 200 bricks!”
To restore the bridge to its original state, the team of volunteers employed old-fashioned building techniques, completing the bulk of the work using reclaimed bricks and traditional lime mortar.
“It’s a very challenging job using lime mortar,” says volunteer, Mike Dex, who worked in construction for over 50 years, “but it’s so important to try to match the original materials and carry out the work in a traditional manner. It’s such an iconic bridge, and we did our very best to honour the heritage of the structure and recreate what they did all those years ago.”
Repairs at Braunston Bridge are hoped to be completed by the autumn
Heritage skills, like the ones employed by Mike and the team, are essential to preserving our historic bridges and buildings. To keep these vanishing arts alive, we encourage our volunteers to share their knowledge and pass on the skills they learn on-site.
In fact, the team at Braunston was given a helping hand by fellow volunteers, who were instrumental in the restoration of Welford Wharf, a little further along the Grand Union Canal, where they employed the same tried and tested lime mortar repointing techniques.
Back at Braunston, a contractor was brought in to complete the trickier task of restoring the brickwork on the northern side of the bridge, which faces out onto the canal, as well as the resurfacing work – with the bridge deck to have a resin bonded, anti-slip surface later in the year, once repainting works have been completed.
The team at Braunston hope to complete the restoration of Bridge 91A by the autumn, with contractors finishing up by giving it a fresh lick of paint. For volunteer, Andy Mousoula, it’s been a real labour of love:
“I moved here three-and-a-half years ago,” he says, “and everyone speaks so highly of Peter, so I’m very proud of the work we’re doing. I see the bridge every day, it’s a beautiful piece of our local history, and I was really keen to get it restored, for Peter’s memory and for the wider community.”
Fittingly, the bridge will be renamed in honour of the man who made it all possible, with a new bridge number plaque, inscribed with the words: “91A, Peter’s Bridge”, providing a lasting tribute to Peter’s generous gift.
