Pulteney Bridge and Weir

Printed on archival watercolour paper with waterbased inks, these fine art reproductions are a true and faithful reproduction of an original watercolour painting by local artist Irene Marsh.

Irene’s original paintings are held in private collections around the world, admired for their remarkable detail and delicate craftsmanship. Each original watercolour often took up to a year to complete, as Irene worked meticulously with a magnifying glass and fine brush to capture every subtle nuance — a testament to her extraordinary patience and skill.

The History

Pulteney Bridge is a bridge over the River Avon in Bath, England. Designed by Robert Adam in a Palladian style, it is one of only four bridges in the world to have

shops across its full span on both sides. It was completed by 1774, and connected the city with land in Bathwick which the Pulteney family wished to develop.

The bridge is named after Frances Pulteney, wife of Sir William Pulteney. He was a wealthy Scottish lawyer and Member of Parliament (MP). Frances was the third daughter of MP and government official Daniel Pulteney (1684–1731) and first cousin once removed of William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath. She inherited the earl's substantial fortune and estates close to Bath after his death in 1764 and that of his younger brother and heir in 1767. The rural Bathwick estate, which Frances and William inherited in 1767, was across the river from the city and could be reached only by ferry. William made plans to create a new town, which would become a suburb to the historic

city of Bath, but first he needed a better river crossing. The name of the Pulteney family is forever memorialised by Great Pulteney Street in Bathwick, and Henrietta Street and Laura Place both streets named after their daughter Henrietta Laura Johnstone.

It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.

The Weir

A weir on the River Avon has appeared on maps of Bath ever since 1603. Located just downriver from the Pulteney Bridge, the Pulteney Weir was built in the late Middle Ages to prevent the river from flooding the town of Bath.

The weir—a low barrier built across a river in order to control water level and regulate flow—was completely rebuilt in the early 1970s and given a more effective and now iconic V-shape design. A sluice and controlled flood gates were also added in the upgrade.