Wander with me to a place where history whispers on the tide. We are standing at Ha’penny Hatch Bridge. This bridge replaced an old wooden toll bridge. The old bridge closed in the 1920s.
Ha’penny Hatch Bridge crosses Deptford Creek next to a railway bridge. This railway bridge carries the Docklands Light Railway. It runs from Greenwich to Deptford Bridge and on to Lewisham. The railway line opened in 1999. It was part of the second stage extensions to the DLR.
But why “Ha’penny”? It cost a ha’penny to cross the original wooden bridge. That is half an old penny.
Deptford Creek is the tidal part of the River Ravensbourne. It flows into the River Thames at Greenwich Reach. The creek divides the Borough of Lewisham and the Borough of Greenwich.
This area has seen much history. The Battle of Deptford Bridge occurred here on June 17, 1497. It was the last battle of the Cornish Rebellion of 1497.
From the 16th century, the Royal Dockyard at Deptford offered work to local shipbuilders. Queen Elizabeth I knighted Francis Drake here. It was aboard the Golden Hind after his world voyage in 1580. The Golden Hind stayed moored in the creek until it fell apart.
Tidal power once drove corn mills here. The Domesday Book mentions eleven corn mills on the Ravensbourne in the 11th century. John Evelyn, the 17th-century diarist, bought Brookmills in 1668. He used it for grinding color.
Industry thrived here from the early 19th century. Chemical works and engineering works lined the Creek. There were also gasworks, soap and candle factories and sawmills. Coal and timber wharves were common. You could also find paint works, breweries, food stores and verdigris works. Verdigris works manufactured copper sulphate.
The original Ha’penny Hatch was also linked to Philip Astley. Astley presented performances in 1768. These performances led to the invention of the modern circus. His field was located at Ha’penny Hatch. People using the path as a shortcut paid a halfpenny at a toll-hut. Chris Barltrop identified the exact spot of Astley’s first shows.
The lift bridge you see today was built in 1963. It replaced the original bridge from 1838. Some say the name Ha’penny Hatch refers to the lower crossing on the Creek.
Network Rail is responsible for the lifting bridge. There were rumors they considered removing it. The costs of maintaining the structure were too high.
So, as you cross Ha’penny Hatch Bridge, remember its rich past. It is a place of industry, innovation, and rebellion. It is a humble bridge with a grand history.