Friends Crossing
QR Post 10
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Marsh Bridge
The bridge in front of you was replaced in early 2026, co-ordinated by the Friends of Foots Cray Meadows (FFCM), in collaboration with Bexley Council along with the help of a donation from Mr Alan Godfrey (a local resident and FFCM member), other anonymous donations and sponsorship from Coca-Cola Europacific Enterprises.
The original wooden bridge, known as Marsh Bridge, crossed a small inlet, fed from the River Cray, that provides a sheltered wetland habitat for many and varied invertebrates, newts and toads. This area is distinct from the nearby standing water ponds which do not (or should not) be linked to the river.
It was also a lovely interlude on the pathway, as you walked southwards along the river’s edge from the Five Arch Bridge. If you were lucky, you might see the colourful dragonflies and damselflies that inhabit this area.
Believed to have been installed in the late 1990s, Marsh Bridge sadly fell into disrepair and eventually had to be removed for safety reasons.
Becoming Friends Crossing
In 2024, the FFCM committee embarked on an ambitious project to replace the once-cherished bridge.
Having spent more than two years exploring a series of options and suggestions, the FFCM committee pulled together all the research and developed a proposal to present to Bexley Council, with the committee’s conservation manager Sid Wilkinson and treasurer Ray Hudson very much to the fore.
The concept was to install a durable metal structure, some eight metres in length, across the stretch of water that formed an inlet, running off the main River Cray between the unique Penny Farthing Bridge and the historic Five Arch Bridge. It is located on the west bank of the River Cray, about 50 metres south of the upstream ford, as you approach the woodland on that side of the river walking to the south. This What3words location shows where it is: ///bound.forks.trace. This location, once particularly enjoyed in the past by dog walkers, has been managed over several years by the FFCM and the Thames21 volunteers.
Work started in January 2026 to lay the foundations of the bridge. The main structure was designed and sent off-site to be galvanised, it was then re-constructed on site during March 2026. Matting was added to improve the texture underfoot for the public and wildlife.
The River Action Group (Thames21), led by Ray and Sid and volunteers, replaced fencing around the bridge and manage planting in the area, in line with the local ecosystem diversity to ensure plants, wildlife, invertebrates and other organisms thrive in the area.
In recognition of the major contribution of the Friends of Foots Cray Meadows in making the new, sustainable bridge a reality, it was officially renamed Friends Crossing in May 2026.
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