The Harry Potter Bridge

Grade II listed and handy for crossing the river

Location: Lambeth Bridge Road, SE11

Description: 'Lambeth Bridge' is a five-span steel arch, designed by engineer Sir George Humphreys and architect Sir Reginald Blomfield, and was built by Dorman Long and opened on 19 July 1932 by King George V.

The previous structure was a suspension bridge, 828 feet (252.4 m) long, designed by Peter W. Barlow. Sanctioned by an Act of Parliament in 1860, it opened as a toll bridge in 1862 but doubts about its safety, coupled with its awkwardly steep approaches deterring horse-drawn traffic, meant it soon became used almost solely as a pedestrian crossing. It ceased to be a toll bridge in 1879 when the Metropolitan Board of Works assumed responsibility for its upkeep - it was by then severely corroded.

The bridge was declared a Grade II listed structure in 2008, providing protection to preserve its special character from unsympathetic development.

The bridge was used for the film Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban for a scene where the Knight Bus must pass between two Volvo Super Olympians.

Tours: july 2012

Tours: London general 2012

Tours: Harry Potter Tour of London

Themes: Transport Transport Theme