Location: Over Avon Gorge between Clifton and Leigh Wood Date completed: 1864 Designer/builder: Isambard Kingdom Brunel Function: Transit for car, cycle and foot traffic over River Avon

The Clifton Suspension Bridge is a breathtaking sight, boldly spanning a vertiginous gorge. At first sight the viewer is tempted to ask, "Why build it there, with all the obvious difficulties?" The Bridge carries the B3129 across the Avon Gorge, through which the River Avon runs, linking Clifton in Bristol and Leigh Woods in North Somerset. The 13th Century stone-built Bristol Bridge over the Avon, like old London Bridge, carried houses and shops to a height of five stories. By the 18th century the narrow bridge couldn't cope with the increased traffic. A replacement was proposed but the Admiralty insisted it should have a clearance of 100 ft (30 m) to allow the passage of tall sailing ships. On low ground this would have involved building huge embankments and towers so the Avon Gorge at its narrowest point, which offered ample clearance, was chosen as the site. In 1829 a competition was held for the design of a bridge across the Gorge. Isambard Kingdom Brunel submitted four designs, but after much tooing and froing, the contract was awarded to Thomas Telford. Brunel managed to get the decision overturned and was awarded the contract for a single span suspension bridge. Brunel's father, Sir Marc Isambard Brunel, advised Isambard to add a central support, but he ignored the advice. Work on the bridge started in 1831 but stopped almost immediately, due to riots and lack of investment. Work started again in 1836 and the towers at either side were built, with a 1,000 ft (300 m) 1¼ in iron bar passed between them to carry materials before work stopped again. In 1859 Brunel died without seeing his Bridge completed. The institution of Civil Engineers felt that completion of the bridge would be a fitting memorial to Brunel's engineering achievements and began to raise funds and campaign for work to restart. Work on the bridge started again in 1862 to a slightly modified design, with the deck heightened, widened and strengthened. In 1864 the Clifton Suspension Bridge was completed and officially opened to traffic. Today it is a Grade 1 listed building, maintained by a charitable trust and used by four million vehicles a year.