In front of you is Singapore's oldest bridge to survive in its original form. Traders, coolies and rickshaw pullers crossed it for more than a century.

1Scottish iron

The bridge opened in 1869 to mark Singapore's new status as a Crown colony within the Straits Settlements. It is named after Orfeur Cavenagh, governor of the colony. The steel was made in Glasgow by the foundry of P. & W. MacLellan, shipped out and assembled here piece by piece.

Problems soon appeared: at high tide, larger boats couldn't pass underneath. In 1910 the Anderson Bridge opened right next to it for vehicles, and Cavenagh Bridge was left to pedestrians and rickshaws.

Look for the old police notice at the entrance: it bans horses, cattle and heavy vehicles from crossing.

2The post office palace

On the south bank stands the Fullerton Building, completed in 1928. It is named after Robert Fullerton, the first governor of the Straits Settlements. It housed the General Post Office and, for decades, colonial government departments and the exclusive Singapore Club. It has been a luxury hotel since 2001.

3What to look for

  • The police notice banning cattle.
  • The chains of the bridge and their rivets.
  • The bronze statues of boys leaping into the river, on the Fullerton side.

Documented

The bridge opened in 1869 using Glasgow steel, was reserved for pedestrians after Anderson Bridge opened in 1910, and has been a national monument since 2019.

Sources and credits

National Heritage Board, Roots.gov.sg, "Singapore River Bridges" and "Fullerton Building"; National Library Board, Singapore Infopedia, "Cavenagh Bridge"; The Fullerton Hotel Singapore (official website, building history).

Photos:

  • Cavenagh Bridge over the Singapore River: Marcin Konsek, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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