Union Chain Bridge

From Alnwick Castle, we drove to Chainbridge Caravan Park near Berwick-upon-Tweed, home for the next two nights. The campsite is small but absolutely delightful 😊. We quickly got set up so that we could go out and explore before it got too dark.

The campsite is named because of its proximity to Union Chain Bridge. This structure marks the border between England and Scotland, with a different country on either side of the River Tweed.

In 1820, the Union Chain Bridge became the first chain-link iron suspension bridge to open in Europe. Originally designed for horse-drawn vehicles, but now adapted for cars, it is the oldest vehicle-carrying suspension bridge in the world 🌎.

The building of the Union Chain Bridge was a significant development in the history of bridge engineering, and it remains an important structure to this day. When it opened, it had the largest clear span deck in the world. This record was broken in 1826 when the Menai Suspension Bridge was built.

The bridge was designed by Samuel Brown (1776 - 1852), an entrepreneurial naval captain and innovative self-taught engineer. He patented the revolutionary eye-bar wrought iron chains we see today. This significantly influenced the design of future suspension bridges across the globe.

The view of the bridge and river from the entrance to the campsite was stunning. Of course, we walked down to cross the bridge and step foot in Scotland!Les mer