Land near the relevant site was said in 1633 to have been washed away, reflecting the lack of the additional river channels at Windsor, Laleham and Weybridge, lack of weirs and former marshiness of the double bend of the river known as Cowey Sale and opposing small meander of land, Thames Meadow on the north bank.

[6][7] In 1747 Samuel Dicker, local landowner and later MP for Plymouth, obtained permission to build a bridge at Walton.

[8] Old Walton Bridge was completed in August 1750 and acquired some fame, meriting an article in The Gentleman's Magazine, a report in Daniel Defoe's Tour in 1753 and a painting by Canaletto in 1754.

A report on the condition of the bridge in 1778 suggested that decay in the wooden frame made it unsuitable for use and it was dismantled five years later.

This bridge inspired three paintings by Turner in 1805 of different scenes featuring the bridge following some sketches which have also been preserved; most of these works are kept by the Tate Gallery,[12][13][14] though one painting was sold at Sotheby's in July 2018 for £3.4 million, its export then being blocked by the government for the national benefit.

At the same time, a brick viaduct was constructed to span the flood plain to the south of the river.

[16] Assisted by the weight restriction and metal design it was longer-lasting than the previous two bridges but was finally demolished in 1985.

In 2003 a political impetus grew for rebuilding and was a key local election issue for councillors seeking to run for Elmbridge Borough Council and Surrey County Council combined with the Heart of Walton Development which was not yet complete.

[18] A public inquiry rejected some aspects of the original plan but approval of the funding arrangements was confirmed on 29 December 2010.