The Thames crossing at Walton has a long and storied history. The current Walton Bridge opened in 2013, replacing a 1950s concrete structure. It’s a single-span tied-arch bridge, its steel arches springing from the deck in a distinctive sweeping silhouette, and offers fine views upstream and downstream.
The site is historically famous for the old wooden bridge painted by Canaletto in 1754, during the decade the Venetian master spent working in England. That painting, A View of Walton Bridge, was made for Thomas Hollis and hangs at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Canaletto returned to the same subject in 1755 for Samuel Dicker, the MP who had the bridge built, and that second version is now at the Yale Center for British Art.
Historic significance
Multiple bridges have crossed the Thames here since the mid-18th century. The wooden bridge depicted by Canaletto was a remarkable Chinese-influenced design by James Paine, considered an engineering marvel of its time.
Visiting
The bridge is freely open to pedestrians and cyclists. The towpath on both banks offers lovely riverside walking. The Angel pub on the Shepperton side, and the riverside at Walton, are popular spots on either end.