Clifton Suspension Bridge

I lived in Bristol from 1985 til 1989. Loved every minute of it! Today we revisited one of the most iconic structures of the city.

The Clifton Suspension Bridge spans the Avon Gorge and links Clifton in Bristol to Leigh Woods in North Somerset. Designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the bridge is a grade I listed building.

The idea of building a bridge across the Avon Gorge originated in 1753. Original plans were for a stone bridge, and later iterations were for a cast iron structure. In 1831, an attempt to build Brunel's design was stopped by the Bristol riots, and the revised version of his designs was built after his death and completed in 1864.

Since opening it has gained a reputation as a suicide bridge. It now has plaques that advertise the telephone number of The Samaritans and above the railings on the bridge there are anti-climb barriers.

The bridge is a distinctive landmark, used as a symbol of Bristol on postcards, promotional materials, and informational web sites. It was also used as a backdrop to several films and television programmes.