Mathematical Bridge
Queens’ College, Silver Street, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire
Spanning the River Cam, this wooden footbridge is often attributed to Isaac Newton, who—as the story goes—designed it in such a way that no bolts were needed to keep it in place. In reality, the bridge was built more than 20 years after Newton’s death, and is held together by bolts, though it is still recognized as an engineering marvel.
Designed by William Etheridge and built by James Essex the Younger in 1749, Mathematical Bridge is known for its unusual form, which features a series of straight timbers that are used to create an arc. For a head-on view, go to the midway point of Silver Street Bridge, the next bridge to the south.
Travelers can enter Queens’ College and walk across the Mathematical Bridge. Alternatively, take a punting tour of the River Cam, during which you can float under several picturesque bridges, including King’s College Bridge and Cambridge’s Bridge of Sighs.
- Mathematical Bridge is a good spot from which to observe punters on the River Cam.
- Visitors must pay a small fee to enter Queens’ College, where the Mathematical Bridge is situated.
- The bridge is accessible via steep ramps; travelers using a manual wheelchair may require some help.
Mathematical Bridge is in Queens’ College near Cloister Court, about a 10-minute walk from Market Square. The Route U bus runs between Cambridge railway station and Silver Street, just outside Queens’ College.
Queens’ College closes to the public during exams (typically late April–late June), so you won’t be able to cross the bridge during this time, though you can always see it from Silver Street Bridge or from a punt on the river below. If you’re photographing the bridge in summer, try coming early in the day, as Silver Street Bridge gets busier as the day wears on.
More than 20 bridges span the River Cam, several of which are situated along the riverside stretch that runs along the back of Cambridge’s riverside colleges. Punting tours along this part of the river allow visitors to glide under these historic structures, including the 1831-built Bridge of Sighs (a copy of Venice’s Bridge of Sighs) and Kitchen Bridge, which was designed by Sir Christopher Wren, the architect behind London’s St. Paul’s Cathedral.
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