[1] The designer was Sir Samuel Brown, a retired naval officer with experience building the 1820 Union Bridge over the River Tweed between Scotland and England,[1] and the Royal Suspension Chain Pier, Brighton (1823).

[1] The whole structure cost £2,300 and weighed only 113 tonnes[1]—less than the loads it was expected to carry.

The bridge was propped mid span using trestles and traffic was restricted to four wagons at a time, spaced 27 feet (8 m) apart by chains to spread the load.

With site investigations in 1841 by John Harris, Robert Stephenson designed a five span cast iron trussed girder bridge on piled masonry piers.

[1] This was built over the period 1841–1844 by contractor Grahamsley and Read and when it opened in May 1844 it replaced the suspension bridge.

The 2009 bridge scheme received a commendation in the Institution of Civil Engineers' Robert Stephenson Awards 2010.