London
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19 hours agoAncient law requires a bale of straw to hang from Blackfriars Bridge
A bale of straw hangs from Blackfriars Bridge to warn mariners during repairs with restricted arch height.
Opened by Queen Victoria in 1869, the Joseph Cubitt-designed Blackfriars Bridge. Phase one of the Blackfriars Bridge renovation was completed in 2023, however more than half the project remained incomplete due to restrictions caused by the building of London's new 'super sewer'. During the works, managed by the City Bridge Foundation charity, more than 2,000 of the bridge's iron balusters will be 'painstakingly' repaired, or replaced in some cases, alongside a complete paint job that will 'restore' its Victorian splendour.