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From the Darlington & Stockton Times of April 23, 1871 “FOR reasons stated elsewhere,” said the D&S Times 150 years ago, “an imposing ceremonial for opening the new bridge at Barnard Castle on Thursday was altogether foregone.” Frustratingly, the D&S does not explain what the reasons were for the opening ceremony of the Thorngate footbridge over the Tees to have been abandoned at the last moment. Yet it was a popular bridge, because the villagers of Startforth, on the Yorkshire side, had long been campaigning to be joined directly with the large textile mills on the Durham bank in Barney. They either had to walk round to the County Bridge, or cross the ford and stepping stones on the curve of the river into Thorngate. These were very dangerous when the river was on the rise.