Demesne Bridges in Ireland
Ronald C.Cox, MA, MAI, PhD, AMICE, FIEI, FIS, FIAE, Chartered Engineer
Director, Centre for Civil Engineering Heritage, Trinity College, Dublin
Synopsis: During the year 2003, the author, with the aid of a grant from the
Heritage Council, undertook a nationwide survey of bridges located on
present and former demesnes associated at one time or another with the big
houses and castles located within the Republic of Ireland. Often hidden from
public view and lacking adequate maintenance, the wide variety of bridge
structures uncovered by the survey forms a hitherto unappreciated aspect of
our built heritage. The author describes the work of the survey, considers
significant examples of bridges in a number of categories, and provides some
pointers to future research and analysis.
1. Introduction
1.1 Heritage Council
A successful application was made
to the Heritage Council for an
The author, in 2002, investigated an
early cast-iron arch bridge in Oak Park
Architectural Heritage Research grant
demesne near Carlow, formerly the
for the project, the result being that
home of the Brewen family and now
over 200 structures were recorded,
one of the main research centres of
and amongst these some significant
Teagasc. This led the author to
bridges
undertake a nationwide survey of
conservation. Under the terms of the
privately owned bridges
large
grant, a comprehensive report was
the
compiled for the Heritage Council in
estates
or
demesnes
on
as
worthy
of
listing
and
December 2003.
distribution of such bridges had not
previously been recorded. Although
1.2 Project Objective
the survey was limited to the Republic
The main objective of the project
of Ireland, brief reference is made to
on
was to prepare a national (Republic of
information received from Dr Michael
Ireland) inventory of bridges existing
Gould.
within
the
situation
in
NI
based
demesnes
associated
with
country houses and castles. A small
number of bridges erected specifically
to provide access to and from such
1
demesnes, and not built originally as
and their associated demesnes have
part of what may now be a public road,
been redeveloped as hotels, such as
were included where it was considered
Luttrelstown,
justifiable from the available evidence.
Ashford Castle, or as centres for sport
Adare
Manor
and
The survey was divided into three
and recreational pursuits, such as
sections: a desk study, fieldwork and
Carton, Straffan and Mount Juliet,
subsequent analysis.
whilst yet others have been used to
house
state
Teagasc
1.3 Demesnes
Much of the land area of the
agencies,
(Oak
Environmental
such
as
or
the
Park)
Protection
Agency
country was at one time divided into
(Johnstown
estates occupied by tenant farmers
houses, for example Castletown, Emo
providing income for specific land
Court
owners. The estates owned by the
preserved and restored to their former
leading families were often extensive,
glory by groups such as the Irish
such as those attached to the family
Georgian Society or the Office of
seats
Public Works. The State Forestry
of
Coolattin,
Lismore
and
Markree.
and
Castle).
Some
Farmleigh,
large
have
been
service Coillte manages large tracts of
A demesne is normally defined as
land within former demesnes, much of
the land immediately surrounding a
which has been replanted, for example
large house or castle and intended for
at Mount Bellew in East Galway,
recreation and the supply of food for
Dartrey
on
the residents (game, fowl, eggs, fresh
border
and
vegetables, flowers, etc). Demesnes
Wicklow.
the
Cavan-Monaghan
Coollatin
in
County
with water features, such as a lake or
2. Information Sources
river, or large changes in level in the
landscape, were seen as potential
sites for bridges of differing styles.
Subsequent
in
A number of literature sources were
Land
consulted, eg Bence-Jones (1996), for
Commission, economic factors and the
the early history of Irish landed estates
effects of civil war, resulted in the
and demesnes. Apart from a chapter
break up of many of the estates and
in
demesnes,
and
describes a small number of demesne
subsequent ruination or demolition of
bridges (mostly unusual or built as
many of Ireland’s houses and castles.
follies), and a number illustrated in
particular
the
land
work
and
the
reforms,
2.1 Published Works
of
the
closure
In more recent times, other houses
2
Howley
(1993)
in
which
he
Barry (1985), it was soon evident that
under their care, such as bridges,
no
located
comprehensive
research
had
within
lands
under
their
hitherto been undertaken to ascertain
ownership that formed parts of former
the national distribution of demesne
demesnes. Although an attempt had
bridges (small or large) and that
been made to use a GIS to correlate
existing
water features with the road network to
information
was
largely
confined to details of a small number
generate
of accessible or well-known bridges,
results proved unsatisfactory for the
such as Thomas Ivory’s classical Rye
purpose of the project and yielded no
Water Bridge at Carton or the Birr
new information. Promising sites were
Castle suspension bridge, thought to
often identified more closely from
be the earliest example of its type in
conversations with land owners and
Ireland.
local residents during the course of the
possible
‘crossings’,
the
fieldwork. A number of house owners
provided
2.2 Consultations
Approaches
were
made
to
valuable
arranged
organisations involved in various ways
information
introductions
to
and
other
owners.
with the heritage of Irish country
houses, such as The Irish Architectural
Archive
and
leading
2.3 Local Authorities
architectural
All heritage, conservation, planning
historians consulted. A convenient
officers
and
check-list of demesnes suitable for use
written
to
on the project did not appear to exist
relevance to the project. The response
and information on bridges was likely
was generally limited but, in a number
to be scattered if available at all. It was
of
thus necessary to begin by compiling a
identified for inclusion in the study, but
provisional working list from a survey
information was sparse.
of secondary sources, such as books
cases,
An
local
seeking
librarians
information
additional
example
of
were
sites
a
of
were
productive
and articles on Irish country houses
response was that from Monaghan
and demesnes and from available
County Council who drew my attention
maps.
was
to an early 19thC cast-iron arch bridge
of
in the demesne of Dartrey Castle near
proposed sales of large houses and
Cootehill on the border with County
estates and redevelopment projects.
Cavan. This bridge had been listed by
Additional
gleaned
from
information
media
reports
An approach was made to Coillte to
ascertain
whether
or
not
the county council and surveyed by
they
Dúchas for the NIAH. As the county
possessed an inventory of structures
council supplied the NIAH record
3
number, it was possible to obtain a
(approx. 1” to the mile). It was
copy of the record from the Heritage
considered likely that most, if not all
Service (previously Dúchas), together
surviving demesnes of any reasonable
with
a
extent would be indicated on these
decision to include the bridge in the
maps, together with many of the larger
national inventory.
houses, and this proved in general to
photographs,
to
support
be the case. The objective of this
medium-scale map survey was to
2.4 Other Sources
Information was also available from
identify
demesnes
where
there
the Internet, particularly details of
appeared
demesnes now forming part of hotels
(coloured blue), such as lakes, rivers,
or golf clubs, or open to the public on a
and even minor streams over which
regular basis, such as those with
bridges were either indicated or their
formal gardens or forest parks. All
existence considered to be a strong
County Development Plans available
possibility. In general, these OS maps
on the web were scanned for listed
were found to be adequate for this
bridges or demesne names.
preliminary survey. The name of each
to
be
water
features
house, castle or demesne so identified
2.5 Maps
on the 1/50,000 scale map was
2.5.1 “Discovery” Map Series
entered into an ACCESS database
together with its location (nearest town
or village and county), the map sheet
number and an approximate grid
reference. Information gleaned from
the map and from other sources, such
as the existence of a named river or
lake, access and contact information
where known was noted in the notes
column.
Due to the requirement for national
coverage and restrictions on time (one
2.5.2 “Six-Inch” Maps
short field season was allowed for the
As previously stated, the short
project under the terms of the grant), it
period allowed for the project did not
was decided that the survey should
permit the scanning of all the OS 6” to
commence with an examination of all
the mile maps (national coverage
sheets of the OS “Discovery” series
being of the order of 5,000 sheets!). It
maps published at a scale of 1/50,000
was, however, found that, using a
4
magnifying glass, it was possible to
examined for the existence of one or
identify many of the provisionally listed
demesnes on the 6” survey index
maps and thus select and order the
appropriate 6” map sheet for a more
detailed examination of the site. It was
considered
appropriate
to
use,
whenever available, second edition
sheets, published between 1898 and
1910.
The
decision
reasoning
was
that
behind
the
more bridges, both road bridges and
this
footbridges.
resurveys
It
was
found
that
substantial road bridges were normally
carried out at the end of the 19th and
named, but minor road crossings were
beginning of the 20th centuries were
usually unnamed, were not assigned a
likely to record
bridges
symbol and could easily be missed.
erected during the 19th century, in
Footbridges, on the other hand, are
particular any Victorian ornamental
generally marked FB. All bridges
iron bridges, suspension footbridges
indicated on the map within the
and masonry bridges of large span.
boundaries of each demesne and any
This approach did, of course, exclude
bridges providing direct access to
bridges of a later date, including any
demesnes
were
constructed
of
or
database
against
replacements
and
in
castle, house or demesne name,
demesne
concrete
additions
recorded
the
in
the
appropriate
masonry, steel or timber. However, it
together
was felt that bridges constructed after
information appearing on the map, in
about 1910, if in existence, would be
particular the location of features to
identified during the later fieldwork
assist in identifying the bridges on the
(this was the case, for example, at Birr
ground
Castle, where a concrete bridge dated
fieldwork.
with
during
any
other
the
relevant
subsequent
1911 was recorded and timber bridges
are regularly replaced as the material
3 Field Work
becomes subjected to the climatic
3.1 Contacts
conditions prevalent in Ireland).
Access
Demesnes are relatively easy to
to
demesnes
was
identify on the 6” scale maps due to
dependent in large measure on current
use of stipple within their boundaries.
use and ownership. Whilst a number
Each demesne so located was then
of large houses and demesnes are
now open to the public on a regular
5
basis (such as Birr Castle, Belvedere,
covered during the course of the
Powerscourt,
fieldwork phase of the project.
Westport
House…),
others have been partially converted to
leisure centres, in particular for the
3.3 Access
golfing fraternity; still others have been
Access
conditions
varied
converted into hotels or country clubs.
considerably. Where ownership was
A number of other properties are open
known, a letter or phone call sufficed
to the public on a limited basis in order
to arrange a visit. However, in most
for their owners to be eligible for tax
cases, in the absence of any register,
relief and conservation grants, whilst
ownership and conditions of access
others include gardens open to the
could not identified in advance. This is
public. In a number of cases, it was
general did not pose problems as
found that access needed to be
there were very few demesnes where
planned well in advance with the
access of one sort or another was not
owners, but this did not normally
possible. Some demesnes near Dublin
present a problem. Local contacts
have high security gates, but outside
frequently provided the name of the
the Dublin area, access was general
person to whom a request should be
not a problem. In the case of hotels,
directed and owners were generally
permission and information on bridges
delighted that the Heritage Council
was usually available at reception and,
had supported the project to compile
in the case of golf clubs, permission
an inventory of bridges on their
and information on bridges could be
properties.
had from the clubhouse staff. For
derelict demesnes, sections of which
had been sold for private housing,
3.2 Route Planning
Route planning was carried out with
demesnes
now
incorporated
into
the aid of the “Discovery” series maps
farms, etc., information on access was
and a more general road atlas. Routes
obtained
were
the
information on Coillte properties was
distances involved in visiting as many
obtained from their regional offices. In
sites as possible in the chosen area of
the case of demesnes still in private
the
reduce
ownership, permission and information
accommodation costs. A considerable
was sought from the owner or a
amount of travelling was undertaken
member of the staff. A number of
on regional or unclassified roads as
private houses are open or partially
demesnes were often remote from the
open to the public and can be visited
main routes. Some 5,500 miles was
without prior notice. This also applies
planned
country
to
and
minimise
to
6
locally.
Permission
and
to forest parks, such as Lough Key in
Curraghmore estate of Lord Waterford.
County
Roscommon,
County
Cavan
and
Dunaree
in
It was not easy to check the assertion
Doneraile
in
that the bridge dates from 1205 and
County Cork.
was ‘where King John crossed the
Clodiagh River’. If true, the bridge
would be of considerable national
3.4 Location & Identification
Bridges were located with reference
importance as a medieval survivor.
to their positions on the maps and
other
information
and
identified
according their form and material, eg
arch,
beam,
masonry,
suspension,
iron,
truss,
concrete,
timber,
number of spans and dimensions in
the case of the larger structures. In
‘King John’s’ Bridge, Curraghmore
cases where the 6” map indicated that
a substantial bridge crossing had at
Further research will be carried out
one time existed and subsequent
after the bridge has been cleared of
fieldwork failed to locate the structure,
vegetation.
reference was made to the latest
early 13thC.
4 Recording
4.2 Photography
Bridges were photographed with an
4.1 Measurement
Olympus IS 3000 camera using mostly
Bridges having a significant number
400ASA film due to the poor lighting
of spans, spans greater than around
conditions
10 ft, or considered to be of significant
were
difficult or impossible due to the extent
vegetation
growth
on
with
on
many
were located in forested areas or in
were measured on site using tapes. In
measurements
met
occasions, particularly where bridges
national or international importance,
of
examination
early 18thC rebuild rather than original
for additional information.
cases,
cursory
suggests that the bridge could be an
edition of the relevant 25” map series
many
A
situations
where
overgrown
with
they
were
very
vegetation.
The
weather, although many dry, was dull
bridges
and cloudy for much of the early part
caused by the lack of maintenance.
of the summer, but later improved with
This was certainly the case with the
longer periods of sunshine. Films were
so-named ‘King John’s Bridge’ on the
developed and colour prints provided.
7
These
were
labelled,
sorted
5 Database
and
placed, together with extracts from the
6” map where available and any
written
information,
within
5.1 Database Design
plastic
The format of the NIAH (National
covers and filed in alphabetical order
Inventory of Architectural Heritage)
according to the name of the house or
recording sheets supplied
demesne.
Heritage Service was considered to be
by
the
inappropriate for the type of survey
4.3 Field Books
methodology proposed. Instead, the
Details of bridges photographed,
data was entered directly into a
including dimensions taken and other
comprehensive
relevant information were recorded in
using Microsoft ACCESS running in
field books.
Windows
XP
relational
Home
on
database
a
DELL
Inspiron 5100 Laptop computer.
4.4 Survey Results
The following database fields were
Some 350 potential bridge sites were
provided:
identified on the 1/50,000 maps. Of
ID, Property Name, Location, 1/50000
these, some 140 were found, on closer
OS sheet number, 6” OS sheet
examination on the 6” map, or as a
number, Photocopy, Name of Bridge,
result of a field visit, not to contain
National
bridges of any significance. In excess
Construction Materials, Span(s) (ft),
of 200 sites were visited during the
Width
period June through October and the
Construction
database currently holds data relating
Contractor(s),
to around 120 selected demesnes or
Illustration(s),
former demesnes with one or more
Reference Sources, Notes.
Grid
(ft),
Ref,
Bridge
Spanning,
Date(s),
Usage,
Designer(s),
Current
Date
Type,
of
Owner,
Site
Visit,
bridges. A provisional heritage grade
was awarded to each of the bridges
5.2 Data Input
included in the database. In a few
Data for the more than 200 sites
cases, a repeat visit was required in
regarded as worth recording was
order to carry out a more detailed
generally input from the field books at
examination and dimensional survey
the conclusion of each period of
of a particular bridge.
fieldwork. The records for some 140
sites not yielding any bridges of
significance (structures normally of
less than 3ft span and regarded as
culverts rather than bridges) were not
8
included in the final version of the
database,
but
are
kept
in
Grade A : structures of national or
a
international heritage importance with
supplementary database.
one or more unique engineering or
architectural features;
Grade B : structures of local or
5.3 Data Analysis
Preliminary work has been carried
national
significance
being
good
out on sorting recorded structures by
examples of their type and having
the materials used, e.g. stone, iron
some aesthetic or heritage value;
and concrete, forms, such as beam,
Grade C : structures within the
arch, truss, suspension, and age.
curtilage of properties considered to
be of local importance;
Grade D : all other minor structures.
5.4 Data Output
Data relating to all bridges included
The relative distribution of the
in the final database were output in the
form
of
individual
record
grades awarded was as follows:
sheets.
Grade A : 38; Grade B : 66; Grade
Whenever possible, each record sheet
included
image
a
of
low-resolution
one
or
more
C : 79; Grade D : 33
scanned
of
the
6.2 Listing for Protection
photographs taken during the site
A small number of the major
visits. The original photographs (prints
structures are already listed by local
and negatives) are currently retained
authorities, but there are a number of
in the Centre for Civil Engineering
others that are not currently listed and
Heritage at Trinity College Dublin.
which deserve to be – these cases are
being
actively
pursued
with
the
relevant authority and hopefully will be
6 Heritage Grading
included in local built heritage strategy.
6.1 Provisional Grading
6.3 Maintenance & Conservation
In order to assist with possible
As
future listing and protection of the
far
as
maintenance
or
structures, each of the 216 bridges in
conservation is concerned, it usually
the final database was allocated a
comes down to priorities and finance
provisional grading in accordance with
available. The Heritage Council has
their perceived heritage value. The
funded
grading criteria adopted for the project
projects, including bridges, eg. that at
were as follows:
Templehouse in Co.Sligo. The role of
a
number
of
restoration
engineering historians is to make the
facts
9
about
historically
important
structures
available
to
local
c.1880). At Ballycraiggy in the same
conservation and heritage officers to
county, there are the remains of an
enable them to better judge whether a
earlier cast-iron arch bridge by Baird of
structure should be listed or not.
Glasgow 1822.
7 Northern Ireland Bridges
8 Further Research
The survey identified a number of
To date, no independent systematic
significant
study of demesne bridges has been
In most cases, the designer and
course of surveys of buildings of
interest
and
surveys
further
builder of each of the bridges recorded
historical
in
are
the
current
unknown
planned.
and
inventory
often
the
remains
date
of
construction has not been determined
As in the Republic, there are a
with any degree of certainty. This
number of significant multi-span stone
information will only become available
arch demesne bridges, eg at Shane’s
as
Castle and Antrim Castle in Co.Antrim
a
result
of
time-consuming
historical research on each of the
and many single arch structures, eg at
structures. The provenance of each
Baronscourt in Co.Tyrone. Tullymore
bridge is invariably linked with that of
in Co.Down, now a forest park, has a
the demesne within which it is located
fine rustic bridge and there are small
and this implies a study of family
ornate bridges, believed to be by
papers where these are available to
Lanyon, at Ballywalter Park.
the researcher.
The most important iron demesne
Research is currently confined
bridges in NI are those built to the
to one or more of the significant
patent of James Dredge of Bath, a
structures that were recorded during
form of suspension bridge, the cable
the course of the project.
being made up of wrought-iron links,
the number increasing incrementally
9 Stone Bridges
from the centre to the supporting
The large majority of bridges in
towers.
Only
is
follow-on from the project.
the Dept of the Environment during the
or
it
number of them will be required as a
demesne bridges have been listed by
architectural
and
envisaged that in-depth research on a
undertaken in NI but a number of
special
structures,
two
cast-iron
arches
demesnes are built of locally available
are
materials, such as limestone, granite
recorded, the finest of these being that
or other naturally occuring stone. The
at Benvardin in Co.Antrim (Dublin
10
largest number of masonry bridges are
spans are all around 10’. It is believed
to be found in locations were it was
that the bridge was built in the 13thC
necessary for the driveway to the
by order of the Cistercian monks, but it
house or castle to cross a significant
has subsequently been much repaired
body of water, mostly rivers, but
and a number of the arches replaced.
occasionally an artificial lake or other
watercourse.
Five Arch Bridge, Castlemagarrett
This early 18thC bridge over the
Annaghmore House Bridge
Robe River is the only structure left on
The
driveway
to
Annaghmore
the
former
demesne
House, the home of the O’Hara family,
Castlemagarrett
to
is carried over the Owenmore River on
Ballinrobe.
bridge
a fine 3-span arch bridge in ashlar
underpinned
limestone masonry, the centre span
drainage works.
The
during
the
of
west
has
more
of
been
recent
being 32’ 6”. The bridge is likely to
date from c1820 when the house was
built by William Farrell.
Rye Water Bridge, Carton House
This classical bridge erected in
1763 over the Rye Water in the
demesne of Carton House is generally
‘Monk’s’ Bridge, Abbeyleix House
accepted
to
be
Thomas
Ivory.
by
The
the
arch
architect
spans
This fine medieval 8-span stone
increase from 12’4” to 17’ at the
bridge crosses the River Nore in the
centre. The heavy pedestrian traffic
demesne of Abbeyleix House. The
11
today is predominantly members of the
was erected in 1747. The outlet from
golfing fraternity.
the lake flows over a dam and down a
steeply sloping glade to the River
Liffey. A number of rustic bridges carry
pathways in the forested area.
New Bridge, Headfort House
The architect, Thomas Cooley, was
responsible for this fine bridge over the
Bridge at Lyons House
Meath Blackwater near Kells. Named
New Bridge when erected in 1776, the
The demesne of Lyons House near
ashlar limestone bridge has a central
Celbridge, now the home of Tony
span of 28’ with two side spans of 22’
Ryan, includes the largest area of
each. It, like the bridges at Mount
artificial lake in Ireland (22 acres). The
Juliet and Carton, saves golfers from
lake, as at Luttrelstown, is formed by a
getting their feet wet!
dam at one end over which surplus
water flows and over which there is a
bridge to carry one of the walks
through the demesne.
Main Bridge, Luttrelstown Castle
Luttrelstown Castle near Clonsilla is
now a luxury hotel with attendant
Cooper’s Hill Bridge, Markree Castle
leisure facilities. The main driveway
crosses an ornamental lake on a
The grounds of Markree Castle, the
important 5-span masonry arch bridge
seat of the Cooper family, contain a
with
spanning
number of interesting bridges, the arch
between vertical extensions to the
forms of the two main stone bridges
piers and abutment ends. The bridge
being similar to the arches in the main
timber
parapets
12
castle building. Coopers Hill Bridge
lodges, dating from 1837, cost so
and that at the main entrance to the
much that there was no money left
castle were probably designed around
over to build the house for the client,
1840 by Francis Goodwin.
Arthur
Kiely!
The
structure
of
sandstone masonry is accessible to
the public as a picnicking area. “The
Towers” is described in the County
Waterford Development Plan as a
‘muscular Gothic fortified bridge in
rusticated sandstone’.
Templehouse Bridge
10 Iron Bridges
The Heritage Council awarded a
Compared with the use of stone,
conservation grant to assist with the
iron was not used to any great extent
repair of this fine stone bridge over the
in
Owenmore River on the entrance
Ireland
for
demesne
bridges.
However, there are a small number of
driveway to the Perceval family home
relatively important demesne bridges
nr Ballymote. Work on the abutments
constructed of cast- and wrought-iron
and approach parapets is evident on
that were erected by the landed gentry
the left of the picture. The bridge has
for their decorative qualities, some
five spans and was erected in 1812.
imported, some fabricated in Ireland.
Types of iron bridges include beam,
truss, arch and suspension.
The Towers, Ballysaggartmore
A number of demesnes contain
Entrance Bridge at Clonalis House
what are known as ‘folly’ bridges, the
extraordinary
entrance
Ballysaggartmore
in
bridge
at
The
Co.Waterford
driveway
being probably the greatest folly. The
roadway
at
on
Clonalis
the
entrance
House
near
Castlerea is supported on functional
Gothic castellated bridge and gate
13
steel RSJs, but the cast-iron pierced
built on the opposite bank of the River
balustrade
ornamental
Suir. It has a span of 140’ with a
particularly
timber deck.
supporting
with
its
brackets
is
attractive. Clonalis House dates from
c1880 and was the first in Ireland to be
built mostly of concrete.
Bridge over R.Nore in Caher Park
This steel bow-string N-truss bridge
spans 124’ across the River Suir near
Iron footbridge at Mount Ussher
the Swiss Cottage in Caher Park near
The Mount Ussher demesne and
Cahir. It was erected for Richard Butler
gardens near Ashford contain four
Charters in 1928 to replace an earlier
bridges spanning the Vartry River.
suspension bridge by Turner.
Two are of the suspension type
(modern
replacements
following
Hurricane Charlie in 1986), one a RC
arch dating from c1930 and this one a
slightly arched steel beam bridge
erected in 1921.
Metal Bridge at Oak Park, Carlow
One of the most important demesne
bridges in Ireland, this 40’ span iron
arch bridge at Oak Park near Carlow
was designed and cast at the famous
foundries of the Darby family at
Coalbrookdale in Shropshire around
Nore Bridge at Knocklofty House
the
same
time
at
the
Liffey
or
This fine latticed truss bridge with a
Halfpenny Bridge in Dublin. Erected in
curved top chord was erected around
1818, the architect associated with the
1877 to connect the demesne of
bridge is believed to be George
Knocklofty House with a new house
Papworth, the architect of Kings (Sean
14
Heuston) Bridge in Dublin. The Carlow
bridge
spans
the
exit
from
During the survey, Meath County
an
Council drew my attention to a small
ornamental lake and has four ribs, the
iron
bridge
in
the
sprandrels of the outer ribs being in
Dunboyne Castle over the Castle
the form of circles of decreasing
River near the village of Dunboyne. It
diameter towards the midpoint of the
was
span. It is a listed structure and is due
recently, the council has removed the
to be renovated.
vegetation to enable a more detailed
completely
demesne
overgrown,
of
but
inspection of the structure to take
place. This clearance has revealed
that the bridge is marked ‘W.TURNER,
DUBLIN’. William Turner (1827-1888)
was a son of the famous ironmaster,
Richard Turner (1798-1881) of the
Hammersmith
Island Bridge at Dartrey Castle
Ballsbridge,
Iron
Dublin.
Works
Around
in
1858,
Richard Turner took over the foundry
This 36’ span cast-iron road bridge
of Thomas Hughes at 103 North King
in the demesne of the former Dartrey
Street and, around 1860, transferred
Castle near Cootehill has, like Oak
ownership of the foundry to his son.
Park, four ribs, but the spandrels infill
William
in this case is latticing. The original
expanded
the
foundry
to
encompass two adjacent buildings
ballustrading has been replaced with
(Nos.104 and 105) and continue in
steel railings and there is substantial
business there until his death in 1888.
damage to the approach parapet
The bridge at Dunboyne has been
walls, many of the stones lying in the
dated provisionally to around the
water below the bridge. The bridge is a
1870s. Although the bridge has the
listed structure and it is hoped that the
appearance of an iron arch bridge,
bridge can be restored.
closer inspection has revealed that the
main structural elements are in fact
five iron RSJs spanning between the
stone abutments. Beneath the outer
girders, cast-iron arched brackets with
decorative pierced spandrels present
the impression of an arch, but the arch
appears to play no structural role. The
Castle River Bridge, Dunboyne
highly decorative iron balustrades are
15
carried on masonry upstands and the
maintains a right-of-way, but it runs
deck has been concreted in more
through
recent times. The CC are proposing to
ownership
dismantle the bridge and move it to a
established A major conservation /
new location in a public park being
restoration project is called for once
developed further upstream. This will
resources can be made available.
Coillte
has
plantations,
not
yet
so
been
entail replacing the corroded main
girders and restoring all the other
elements of the structure.
Benvardin Bridge
Probably
the
finest
and
best
preserved iron bridge in Northern
Ireland
is
that
at
Benvardin
in
Co.Antrim.
White Bridge, Woodlawn House
Of the two or possibly three bridges
in the demesne of Woodlawn House to
the west of Ballinasloe, one is an
important three-span cast-iron viaduct.
The bridge spans an ornamental lake,
now badly silted up and overgrown
Suspension bridge at Kinnity Castle
with vegetation. The bridge itself is
masked by parasitic vegetation and it
Small suspension bridges became
was necessary to partially clear the
popular in the 19thC with the landed
vegetation in order to allow the bridge
gentry, but many have not survived.
to
A
An exception, at Kinnity Castle in
the
Co.Offaly is the only survivor of what
Clonbrock Collection in the National
may have been as many as four
Library is dated 1860 and this is the
footbridges crossing the Camcor River
probably date of the bridge. The bridge
in the demesne. It was supplied by a
has three spans of 26’ and the
local
spandrels are in-filled with latticing
Mountmellick around 1840.
be
measured
photograph
which
is
of
the
accurately.
bridge
continuous
in
across
the
intermediate piers. The local authority
16
foundry,
T&D
Roberts
of
Dublin spans 45’ across a channel of
the River Liffey.
At Markree Castle, the Cooper
family erected a substantial footbridge
across the Unshin River to enable
workers to get to the castle gardens
from
Birr Castle Suspension Bridge
their
accommodation
at
the
farthest boundary of the demesne.
Further downstream, at Birr Castle,
is what is considered to be Ireland’s
earliest suspension bridge. This wire
It is extremely difficult to examine
bridge, erected around 1826, spans
the remains of the bridge, but from the
44’ over the river beside the Parsons
surviving
family home and is due to be restored
evidence,
it
has
been
possible to suggest the form of the
for public use when resources permit.
original structure, a form of double
cable-stayed bridge.
Dredge Bridge at Benburb, Co.Tyrone
The Dredge suspension bridge is a
type peculiar to Northern Ireland. This
example from the Caledon estate was
taken down in 1984 during drainage
works in the River Blackwater and reerected in 1990 on new foundations in
a new location.
Suspension bridge at Straffan House
The suspension footbridge supplied
to the Barton family at Straffan House
in 1849 by Courtney & Stephens of
17
11 Concrete Bridges
The Earls of Rosse were renowned
demesne
for their scientific prowess and would
bridges constructed from reinforced
have been well acquainted with the
concrete, stone and timber being the
latest technological developments of
preferred and affordable materials.
the age. This reinforced concrete road
There
are
very
few
bridge was erected in the Birr Castle
grounds
in
1911
contemporaneous
reinforced
with
concrete
and
other
is
early
structures
in
Ireland, such as St. John’s Bridge at
Kilkenny, the Trim Water Tower and
Cruit Island Footbridge in Co.Donegal.
The Rosse coronet and monogram
Concrete bridge at Barrowmount House
and the date are inserted into the
I did, however, come across an
bridge parapets.
early example of a reinforced concrete
bridge in the grounds of Barrowmount
House near Goresbridge. It appears
from the family records that this 12’
span bridge may have been erected
as early as 1890 and certainly not later
than around 1900. The small diameter
round bar reinforcement protruding
Concrete footbridge at Mount Ussher
from one of the parapet walls would
In around the 1930s, the owners of
seem to suggest a mesh of iron
Mount
Ussher
reinforcement, possibly similar to that
Co.Wicklow decided to further develop
introduced by Monier in his bridges
access to the western end of their
some years earlier. Further research
gardens
will be required.
concrete arch footbridge over the
by
near
erecting
Ashford
a
in
reinforced
Vartry River. The bridge has a central
span of 33’ 6” and two side spans
each of 13’.
1911 Concrete Bridge at Birr Castle
18
12 Conclusions
The aim of the project, to complete
the first national inventory of demesne
bridges, has been achieved. Over 200
demesne bridges have been located,
basic physical details recorded, and
each allocated a provisional heritage
grade.
A
number
of
important
structures have been identified as
worthy of further research, particularly
as regards designer, contractor and
date of erection.
Several
bridges
of
heritage
importance have been found to be in a
poor state of maintenance, typical
Birr Castle, Co.Offaly
problems being parasitic growth of
It is hoped that the project will have
vegetation and damage to parapets.
drawn attention to the existence of the
Maintenance is generally good in
wide range of bridge designs in
the case of structures over which there
existing and former demesnes within
is regular access, such as those in the
Ireland
grounds of hotels, golf clubs and
assessment of such bridges for listing
public parks, barely adequate where
and protection by local authorities.
and
allow
for
improved
the structures are privately owned
The author acknowledges the
(due to lack of finance), and generally
poor where the structures are now
assistance of the Heritage Council
located on farmland previously forming
in providing a grant for the project
and the associated field work.
all or part of a demesne.
19
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