Tamar Bridge
suspension bridge in southwest England
The Tamar Bridge is a suspension bridge over the River Tamar between Saltash in Cornwall and Plymouth in Devon, South West England. It is 335 metres (1,099 ft) long, running adjacent to the Royal Albert Bridge and part of the A38, a main road between the two counties.
During the 20th century, there was increasing demand to replace or supplement the Saltash and Torpoint ferries, which could not cope with the rise in motor traffic. The Government refused to prioritise the project, so it was financed by Plymouth City Council and Cornwall County Council. Construction was undertaken by the Cleveland Bridge & Engineering Company and began in 1959. It was unofficially opened in October 1961, with a formal presentation by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother in April 1962. A reconstruction of the bridge began in 1999, after it was found to be unable to support a European Union requirement for goods vehicle weights; the work involved building two new parallel decks while the original construction was completely rebuilt. The project was completed in late 2001 and formally opened by Princess Anne in April 2002. The extra decks have remained in use, increasing the bridge's capacity.
The bridge is tolled for eastbound travel, with a discount available via an electronic payment scheme.
The public source identifies “Tamar Bridge” as suspension bridge in southwest England. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Tamar, Bridge and suspension.
Why this record matters
A short description can identify a subject without explaining its stakes. For “Tamar Bridge”, the useful work is to connect “suspension bridge in southwest England” to the records capable of establishing context and consequence.
Place names and jurisdictional language are key evidence: both can reveal earlier catalogue descriptions and overlooked record series. The source revision retrieved here is dated May 8, 2026. The linked authority identifier is Q7680729. The first chronological checks are 1959, 1961, 1962 and 1999.
Modern boundaries and familiar names can conceal earlier jurisdictions or structures that do not align with the present site. The lead is largely declarative, so disagreement and counter-evidence require a deliberate search beyond the opening account. Authority statements aid reconciliation but still require their own references, qualifiers and ranks to be checked.
How to read it
Treat names, boundaries and functions as historically changeable. Maps, plans, inventories and administrative records can clarify what the place meant at different dates.
- Historic place names
- Jurisdictional context
- Routes into maps and plans
Contemporary maps, plans, listed-building records, estate papers and the responsible local or national archive.
Three-step research path
- Establish the record: confirm the title “Tamar Bridge”, its source revision and the description used here.
- Expand the search: follow Tamar Bridge primary sources, Tamar Bridge archive and Tamar research across catalogues and specialist indexes.
- Test the account: compare the strongest cited source with the responsible institution’s current record and note any disagreement.
Questions for further research
- Which source most directly establishes the central claim about “Tamar Bridge”?
- Which earlier names or jurisdictions may reveal additional records?
- What physical evidence or contemporary plan supports the description?
Search terms from this dossier
This entry incorporates text from “Tamar Bridge” on English Wikipedia. Contributors are listed in the page history. Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Selected authority identifiers and statements are retrieved from Wikidata under CC0; their references and qualifiers remain part of the verification path.