▁to ▁connect ▁Bir n beck ▁Island ▁to ▁the ▁main land ▁at ▁the ▁western ▁end ▁of ▁Wor le bury ▁Hill . ▁Work ▁comm enced ▁on ▁a ▁susp ension ▁bridge ▁two ▁years ▁later ▁under ▁a ▁design ▁by ▁James ▁D red ge , ▁architect ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Bridge ▁in ▁Bath . ▁He ▁pat ented ▁the ▁t aper ▁principle ▁based ▁on ▁using ▁ch ains ▁rather ▁than ▁c ables , ▁as ▁is ▁more ▁common ▁in ▁susp ension ▁brid ges . ▁D red ge ' s ▁bridge ▁design ▁was ▁considered ▁" a ▁very ▁significant ▁yet ▁relatively ▁short - l ived ▁phase ▁in ▁susp ension ▁bridge ▁development ". ▁During ▁a ▁strike ▁by ▁st on em asons , ▁what ▁little ▁had ▁been ▁built ▁was ▁dam aged ▁during ▁a ▁storm , ▁bringing ▁about ▁the ▁end ▁to ▁the ▁susp ension ▁bridge ▁scheme . ▁ ▁Const ruction ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 6 4 , ▁a ▁new ▁proposal ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁build ▁a ▁pier ▁across ▁to ▁the ▁island , ▁fund ed ▁by ▁ 2 , 0 0 0 ▁shares ▁which ▁raised ▁£ 2 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Cec il ▁Hugh ▁S my th ▁P ig ott , ▁the ▁four - year - old ▁son ▁of ▁the ▁lord ▁of ▁the ▁man or , ▁laid ▁the ▁foundation ▁stone ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁October ▁ 1 8 6 4 ▁when ▁a ▁public ▁hol iday ▁was ▁declared ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁and ▁a ▁celebr atory ▁dinner ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁town ▁hall . ▁ ▁The ▁main ▁pier ▁was ▁originally ▁ ▁long , ▁and ▁it ▁is ▁ ▁wide