Editing Chelsea Bridge (section)

=== Design and construction ===

[[File:ILN Chelsea Bridge.jpg|thumb|upright=1.4|alt=Suspension bridge crossing a wide river. A few buildings can be seen behind the bridge.|The first Chelsea Bridge as seen from Battersea in 1858, shortly after opening. The [[Victoria Tower]] of the [[Palace of Westminster]] is shown under construction in the background.]]

Page's design was typical of suspension bridges of the period, and consisted of a [[wrought iron]] [[deck (bridge)|deck]] and four {{convert|97|ft|m|adj=on}} cast iron towers supporting chains, which in turn supported the weight of the deck.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}}{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}} The towers rested on a pair of timber and cast iron [[pier (architecture)|piers]].{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} The towers passed through the deck, meaning that between the towers the road was {{convert|7|ft|m|spell=in}} narrower than on the rest of the bridge.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} Although work had begun in 1851 delays in the closure of the Chelsea Waterworks, which only completed its relocation to Seething Wells in 1856, caused lengthy delays to the project,{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=131}} and the [[Edinburgh]]-made ironwork was only transported to the site in 1856.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}}

[[File:Scuto Battersea BritMu252a.jpg|left|upright|thumb|alt=Golden shield dominated by three circular decorations. The larger central decoration has a large boss surrounded by a curlicue pattern. The smaller decorations above and below it are similar.|The [[Battersea Shield]]]]

Victoria Bridge was {{convert|703|ft|m}} long with a central span of {{convert|333|ft|m}},{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} and the roadway was {{convert|32|ft|m}} wide with a {{convert|7|ft|6|in|m|adj=on}} footpath on either side, making a total width of {{convert|47|ft|m}}.{{sfn|Davenport|2006|p=69}} Large lamps were set at the tops of the four towers, which were only to be lit when [[Victoria of the United Kingdom|Queen Victoria]] was spending the night in London.{{sfn|Pay|Lloyd|Waldegrave|2009|p=68}} The central span was inscribed with the date of construction and the words "Gloria Deo in Excelsis" ("Glory to God in the Highest").{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}} It took seven years to build, at a total cost of £90,000 (about £{{formatprice|{{Inflation|UK|90000|1858|r=-3}}|0}} in {{CURRENTYEAR}}).{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=76}}{{Inflation-fn|UK|df=y}} The controversial tolls were collected from octagonal stone tollhouses at each end of the bridge.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=132}}

As with the earlier construction of nearby Battersea Bridge,{{sfn|Roberts|2005|p=61}} during excavations workers found large quantities of [[Roman military personal equipment|Roman]] and [[Celtic warfare|Celtic]] weapons and skeletons in the riverbed, leading many historians to conclude that the area was the site of [[Julius Caesar]]'s crossing of the Thames during the 54 BC [[Caesar's invasions of Britain|invasion of Britain]].{{sfn|Matthews|2008|p=75}} The most significant item found was the [[Celt]]ic [[La Tène style]] bronze and enamel [[Battersea Shield]], one of the most important pieces of Celtic military equipment found in Britain, recovered from the riverbed during dredging for the piers.{{sfn|Cookson|2006|p=131}}{{refn|group=n|As it shows no signs of battle damage, it is believed that the shield was cast into the river as a [[votive offering]] and was never used in battle. The shield is now on display in the [[British Museum]] while a replica is housed in the [[Museum of London]].}}