The river channel under the bridge is also used by boats navigating the Kennet and Avon Canal.

[1][2] The first bridge across the River Kennet in Newbury dates back to the Middle Ages, and the earliest reference to it is an account of its reconstruction in the 14th Century.

In 1312, King Edward II directed that the bridge should be kept in good order.

In the absence of this, a line to haul the barge had to be floated under the bridge and then re-attached to the horse where the tow path resumed.

[1][2][4] By the outbreak of World War II, Newbury Bridge still provided the only through road crossing over the Kennet in the Newbury area, and military planners were concerned about the consequences of it being damaged or destroyed in an air raid.