▁horses . ▁The ▁damage ▁to ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁only ▁partially ▁rep a ired . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 7 5 1 ▁the ▁second ▁most ▁nor ther ly ▁pier ▁col lapsed ▁and ▁dam aged ▁the ▁adjacent ▁arch es . ▁Between ▁ 1 7 5 3 ▁and ▁ 1 7 5 5 ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁re built ▁by ▁George ▁Sem ple , ▁to ▁correct ▁flo od ▁and ▁other ▁struct ural ▁damage ▁and ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁initi atives ▁of ▁the ▁W ide ▁Stre ets ▁Commission . ▁During ▁this ▁construction , ▁some ▁original ▁features ▁were ▁removed , ▁including ▁the ▁E quest rian ▁Stat ue ▁Of ▁George ▁I , ▁by ▁John ▁van ▁N ost ▁the ▁E lder , ▁which ▁was ▁moved ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 8 ▁to ▁the ▁gard ens ▁of ▁the ▁M ansion ▁House . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁it ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁the ▁Bar ber ▁Institute ▁for ▁Fine ▁Arts ▁in ▁B irmingham , ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁which ▁it ▁now ▁stands . ▁For ▁much ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 th ▁century , ▁Es sex ▁Bridge ▁was ▁the ▁most ▁w ester ly ▁bridge ▁on ▁the ▁L iff ey . ▁ ▁From ▁ 1 8 7 2 , ▁the ▁bridge ▁was ▁further ▁rem od elled ▁( on ▁West min ster ▁Bridge ▁in ▁London ), ▁being ▁w iden ed ▁and ▁fl atten ed ▁with ▁cast ▁iron ▁supports ▁extended ▁out ▁from ▁the ▁stone work ▁so ▁as ▁to ▁carry ▁pav ements ▁on ▁either ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁road way . ▁The ▁bridge ▁was ▁( and ▁is ▁still )