span of the arches they support than those of
any other bridge in England; but this slight appearance does
not, we understand, detract in any degree from their strength,
or from the durability of the superincumbent structure."

From the same authority we gather this circumstantial account of the
Bridges erected at Staines from the year 1262:

"The first erection mentioned in the archives of Staines, was a
wooden bridge, said to have been erected in the year 1262; it
was constructed of piles of oak driven into the bed of the river
and covered with planks. We hear of no new erection from that
period down to the year 1794; but from that year to the present,
there have been not less than four new bridges in succession,
and on nearly the same site. In the year 1794 and 1795, a new
bridge, of three semicircular arches of stone, from the design
of the celebrated Paul Sandby, was erected, but, from some
defect in its construction, it lasted only five years, when it
was replaced by a very elegant bridge of one arch, of 180 feet
span, of cast iron, from the design of Mr. Thomas Wilson, the
architect of the celebrated bridge over the river Weir, at
Sunderland. The design was attributed to the noted author of the
_Rights of Man_; but the arch designed by him was cast in the
year 1790, by Messrs. Walkers, at Rotherham, whence it was
brought to London, and erected at the bowling-green of the
Yorkshire Stingo public-house, where it was exhibited to the
public; Paine not being able to defray the expense, the arch was
taken down and carried back to Rotherham; part of it was
afterwards used in the Sunderland bridge, and part, it is
supposed, in the Staines bridge. This last, like its immediate
predecessor, was not destined to last long, for it had scarcely
been opened one month, when it was found necessary to close it
to the public, the arch having sunk in a very alarming degree.
His late Majesty King George the Third was said to have been
among the last to pass over it. In this emergency the late Mr.
Rennie was consulted, who pronounced the bridge altogether
dangerous, in consequence of the weakness of the abutments. No
alternative remained but to remove the iron bridge entirely, and
patch up the old wooden bridge until a new one of wood was
built. That bridge, which is the present old bridge, con