The Borough of Wisbech was the port authority for this part of the River Nene. The emblem of Wisbech is the
cross keys of St Peter. The first bridge, opened in 1831, was designed by
John Rennie the Younger and
Thomas Telford as part of the Wash Embankment works. It was of timber and cast iron construction and opened up rather like London's famous
Tower Bridge. However it was found to be awkwardly sited and in 1850, its replacement designed by
Robert Stephenson was opened. Local shipowner
Richard Young, five times Mayor of Wisbech, was responsible for the '''''' (
7 Geo. 4. c. cvi). The position of the second bridge was approximately halfway between the original and the present day bridge. It was a swing bridge and was used only for road traffic until the
Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway Act 1863 (
26 & 27 Vict. c. cxciii) was passed, which gave the
Lynn and Sutton Bridge Railway powers to also use it for rail traffic. When the current bridge was constructed it was hoped that the 1850 bridge could be left in position for rail use however the river authorities decided that two bridges so close together constituted a hazard for shipping, and it was removed. The present Cross Keys Bridge was built in 1897 at a cost of £80,000.
Andrew Handyside and Company erected the bridge and
Armstrong Whitworth built the engines which supplied the power to swing the bridge and which were installed in the Hydraulic House, a separately listed Grade II* building. The Hydraulic House is now undergoing conversion to a family home but will retain the hydraulics and
accumulators, which are housed in a high tower. ==Operations==