Editing Mathematical Bridge (section)

{{Short description|Wooden arch bridge in Cambridge, England}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=October 2017}}
{{Infobox bridge
| name             = Mathematical bridge
| official_name    = Queens' Bridge, Wooden Bridge
| image            = File:Queens' College - Mathematical Bridge.jpg
| caption          = Mathematical Bridge at the [[University of Cambridge]] in 2016
| mapframe-zoom    = 15
| mapframe-caption = Location within Cambridge
| crosses          = [[River Cam]]
| material         = Wood, on stone abutments.
| number_spans     = One
| design           = [[Truss bridge]]
| followed         = [[King's College Bridge]]
| preceded         = [[Silver Street Bridge]]
| location         = [[Queens' College, Cambridge]]
| coordinates      = {{coord|52|12|08.0|N|0|06|54.2|E|scale:1000_type:landmark_region:GB-CAM|display=title,inline}}
| complete         = {{start date|1906}}<ref name="listing" /> (Current bridge)
| designer         = [[William Etheridge]]
}}
The '''Mathematical Bridge''' is a [[wooden bridge|wooden footbridge]] in the southwest of central [[Cambridge]], [[England]].
It bridges the [[River Cam]] about one hundred feet northwest of [[Silver Street Bridge]] and connects two parts of [[Queens' College, Cambridge|Queens' College]]. Its official name is simply the '''Wooden Bridge'''<ref>{{cite web |url = https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/543110 |title = TL4458 : Mathematical Bridge, Queens' College |publisher = [[Geograph Britain and Ireland]] |date = 2007-09-02 |accessdate = 2012-11-02 }}</ref> or '''Queens' Bridge'''.<ref>{{Ordnance Survey|access-date=8 Jan 2021}}</ref> It is a Grade II listed building.<ref name="listing">{{NHLE|num= 1125515| desc  =QUEENS' COLLEGE, MATHEMATICAL BRIDGE | grade= II | accessdate = 2015-12-05}}</ref>

The [[bridge]] was designed by [[William Etheridge]], and built by [[James Essex]] in 1749. It has been rebuilt on two occasions, in 1866 and in 1905, but has kept the same overall design. Although it appears to be an arch, it is composed entirely of straight timbers<ref>{{cite web |url = http://www.engineering-timelines.com/scripts/engineeringItem.asp?id=472 |title = Mathematical Bridge, Cambridge |publisher = Engineering Timelines |date = 2007-09-02 |accessdate = 2012-11-02 }}</ref> built to an unusually sophisticated engineering design, hence the name.

A replica of the bridge was built in 1923 near the [[Iffley Lock]] in [[Oxford]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Iffley Lock |url=http://thames.me.uk/s01620.htm |website=Where the Thames Smooth Waters Glide |accessdate=13 October 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812030814/http://thames.me.uk/s01620.htm |archivedate=12 August 2014 }}</ref>

The original Mathematical Bridge was another bridge of the same design, also commissioned by James Essex, crossing the Cam between [[Trinity College, Cambridge|Trinity]] and [[Trinity Hall, Cambridge|Trinity Hall]] colleges, where [[List of bridges in Cambridge#Garret Hostel Bridge (1960)|Garret Hostel Bridge]] now stands.