Burton on Trent in the mid 19th century

Both of these photographs are from this excellent Burton on Trent local history website which you are recommended to visit as it will recreate for you a much better impression of Burton in the 19th century than can be done here. Both photographs feature the bridge over the River Trent at Burton. Regrettably this historic and impressive bridge across the River Trent, that dated from medieval times, was demolished in 1864, so the photos date from before that and are as close as we can get to the period 1840 - 1854, when John Trease supervised the Excise district of Burton on Trent.

The first photograph is taken from the Burton on Trent side of the bridge looking towards Winshill which was where the bridge ended on the other side of the river. To the right (or west) in the background, you can see the bridge arches curving round. The village of Stapenhill is further to the right. When John Trease lived at Winshill in the mid 1840's he would have regularly crossed this bridge to get to Burton. The building he would have passed on the left is on high ground in the flood plain and can be seen in paintings of the bridge in the early 1800s.

The second photograph is from the Winshill side of the bridge looking towards Burton on Trent. The building to the far left is the same as the one to the left of the previous photograph. Behind in the distance can be seen the skyline of Burton on Trent with chimneys rising from the various breweries. The bridge joined with Bridge Street, Burton on Trent. Bridge Street ended after a few hundred yards at a junction with Guild Street and Horninglow Street.

The gas lights may indicate that the bridge crossing was of some importance.