Elvet Bridge is a medieval stone arch bridge over the River Wear in Durham. It connects the central area of ​​the city with the area Elvet.

Construction of the bridge began in 1160, when the Bishop of Durham ruled mighty Hugh de Puisaye, on the orders of which were built many architectural structures across the north of England. The reason for the construction of the bridge was a massive construction that takes place in the area Elvet, but the bridge itself was built a long time, a little less than a hundred years. Arched bridge construction date from XIII century, and only one was completed at the end of the XII century. Total of ten arches, but the XVI century, historians have assumed that before they were fourteen, and the four arches are now hidden under the pavement streets of Elvet.

It is worth noting that the Bridge Elvet - not the first bridge of the city of Durham. According to the records of Durham Cathedral, dated XV century, the bridge was built by Bishop Hugh de Puisaye, was named the new bridge, which says that there was also Old Bridge.

Elvet Bridge was restored at the beginning of the beginning of the XVI and XVII centuries. In 1771 the bridge was badly damaged due to flooding, it had to reconstruct the three central arches. Until 1805 the bridge reaches a width of 4, 5 meters, and then it was extended for another approximately one meter from its northern side.

In the Middle Ages at the rise of the bridge were entrance gates and towers, and on the bridge housed a number of buildings, including two chapels - Saint James on the west end of St. Andrew and the east. It is believed that the chapel of St. Andrew was a size bigger than the other, but, in any case, only partly preserved buildings on the east end of the bridge, from the district Elvet. In 1632 on the site of the chapel of St. James was built a house of correction, which was demolished in the XVIII century, along with other buildings on the north side of the bridge.