History of the Old Shoreham Toll Bridge

The Old Shoreham Toll Bridge before restorationThe Old Shoreham Toll Bridge linking Shoreham-by-Sea to Lancing and Worthing was built across the River Adur tidal estuary in 1781. Prior to that people and animals were pulled from one side of the estuary to the other on a flat raft.

In 1847 a new river crossing was built to provide a dedicated crossing for the new South Coast Railway and the railway company acquired a controlling interest in the bridge. Ownership passed to the newly created nationalised British Rail in 1947 and to West Sussex County Council, the present owners, in 1970. Up until it was closed to road traffic in 1968, when it became a public bridleway, it was the A27 and even double-decker buses used it. At that time the toll to cross it was sixpence in old money.

Text from www.adur.gov.uk/tourism/old-tollbridge.htm