17 THE GREAT BRIDGE OF BURTON-ON-TRENT. 
“Tn 1795, on February 10th, owing to a sudden thaw on this and 
preceding day, the river Trent rose higher than was ever known 
before by the oldest person in the parish. About 12 o'clock this 
evening the water being at its highest .... No mail or waggon 
was capable of passing in or out of the town for two days. Many parts 
of the bridge were considerably damaged, and on Friday the 13th the 
third arch at the West end fell in, which was rebuilt in the course of 
the ensuing summer by John Stanley, of Duffield, co. Derby, at the 
expense of about £200, and some other repairs were also done the same 
year amounting to about £40,” so says Shaw in Chronology of His- 
torical and memorable events, &c. This is also borne out by the 
date-stone on 24th Arch on North side, which had the date 1796, 
J.P., which Molyneux says stands for James Powis who would be one 
of the Bridge ProctorsI expect, but Molyneux gives this as the 9th 
Arch not 24th. 
On the 23rd arch, N. side, was the date 1815. On the 28th arch, 
on N. side, was the date 1831, with the letters W.C. cut in the key- 
stone, (Fig. 6, p. 16), which Molyneux says was William Clark, by 
whom the bridge had been widened at this point. This widening, 
from the Winshill side to the Trundle hole, was from 22 to 26 feet. 
On the keystone of the 29th arch was C.H., 1832, (Fig. 6, p. 16), 
which Molyneux says was Charles Hodgson. In 1839 the first two 
arches on the Winshill side were covered up by soil and material 
placed there to improve the approach to the Bridge. 
In 1859 came the beginning of the end—the Midland Railways 
(Burton-on-Trent) Act. Molyneux says in the year 1864, when in 
consideration of the sum of £22,000 (£10,000 of which was paid to 
them by the Trustees of the late Marquis of Anglesey) the materials 
of the old Bridge, and the conditions of making a new one, were 
under this Act handed over to the Midland Railway Company. The 
work of destruction commenced soon after the opening of the new 
Bridge, which took place 22nd June, 1864, and though a slight. stir 
was made, no decided course or active efforts were made to stay the 
