Historically connection was by a causeway known as the
Wadeway, this was severed by the construction of the
Portsmouth and Arundel Canal.
The Wadeway
The Wadeway is the original and historic causeway to Hayling Island, however it is now completely impassable, having been cut in two by a deep channel for the Portsmouth and Chichester Canal in the 1820s and was classified as a bridleway in 1988, and is shown as such on modern Ordnance Survey maps in spite of its use being considered hazardous at best. Excavation of this feature in 2006, constructed on a natural high point in the harbour, put its date in the Roman to mediaeval range but found no evidence to be more specific.
THE WADEWAY: INVESTIGATION OF THE MEDIEVAL CROSSING POINT FROM LANGSTONE VILLAGE TO HAYLING ISLAND
By Julie Satchell with contributions by Paul Donohue, Rob Scaife and Simon Bray
The Road Bridges
The Canal Company funded a replacement wooden road bridge served by a toll-house situated at the northern end. There was a weight-limit and after WW2 only single-decker buses were allowed across and if they were carrying too many passengers some had to get out and walk, regardless of the weather, to reduce axle-weight. The old wooden bridge was demolished following construction of the current (2014) concrete bridge in the late 1950s. Initially this was operated as a toll bridge until April 1960. Since 1998 the Bridge is also designated as a section of the Hayling Billy Trail which connects Havant to West Town, Hayling Island< using the track bed of the old railway line.
The Railway Bridge
A second bridge was constructed for the Hayling Island branch line in the 1864 the line between Havant and Hayling Island for goods on 19 January 1865, and for passengers on 16 July 1867 . A central swing bridge was provided to allow the passage of shipping between Langstone and Chichester Harbours. The poor condition of the bridge in the 1960s, it was estimated that the work required would cost +£400,000 (1963 prices), was instrumental to the line's closure as at the time it was making an operational profit.
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The Wadeway
The Wadeway is the original and historic causeway to Hayling Island, however it is now completely impassable, having been cut in two by a deep channel for the Portsmouth and Chichester Canal in the 1820s and was classified as a bridleway in 1988, and is shown as such on modern Ordnance Survey maps in spite of its use being considered hazardous at best. Excavation of this feature in 2006, constructed on a natural high point in the harbour, put its date in the Roman to mediaeval range but found no evidence to be more specific.
THE WADEWAY: INVESTIGATION OF THE MEDIEVAL CROSSING POINT FROM LANGSTONE VILLAGE TO HAYLING ISLAND
By Julie Satchell with contributions by Paul Donohue, Rob Scaife and Simon Bray
The Road Bridges
 |
The Canal Company funded a replacement wooden road bridge served by a toll-house situated at the northern end. There was a weight-limit and after WW2 only single-decker buses were allowed across and if they were carrying too many passengers some had to get out and walk, regardless of the weather, to reduce axle-weight. The old wooden bridge was demolished following construction of the current (2014) concrete bridge in the late 1950s. Initially this was operated as a toll bridge until April 1960. Since 1998 the Bridge is also designated as a section of the Hayling Billy Trail which connects Havant to West Town, Hayling Island< using the track bed of the old railway line.
The Railway Bridge
A second bridge was constructed for the Hayling Island branch line in the 1864 the line between Havant and Hayling Island for goods on 19 January 1865, and for passengers on 16 July 1867 . A central swing bridge was provided to allow the passage of shipping between Langstone and Chichester Harbours. The poor condition of the bridge in the 1960s, it was estimated that the work required would cost +£400,000 (1963 prices), was instrumental to the line's closure as at the time it was making an operational profit.
The bridge became disused after the railway's closure in November 1963 and was finally demolished in 1966. the remains can be viewed to the west of the road bridge today.
The Hayling Bridge and Wadeway (also known as Langstone
Bridge) Ralph Cousins – November 2013