Survey Data
Reg No
20844063
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Scientific, Technical
Original Use
Bridge
In Use As
Bridge
Date
1770 - 1775
Coordinates
149268, 55066
Date Recorded
05/05/2009
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Freestanding five-span road bridge, dated 1773, enlarged 1838, spanning the Bandon River. Splayed arch to southern end of west elevation. Camber-arches increasing in width towards central arch, having alternating raised tooled stone voussoirs, rubble stone soffits springing from tooled limestone block piers with V-cutwaters to east and west elevations. Limestone block and pyramidal render capping to west elevation cutwaters. Dressed limestone walls and spandrels surmounted by tooled limestone cornice and dressed limestone parapets with tooled limestone coping stones. Raised central piers with street lamp to parapets, having tooled stone commemorative plaques to interior walls. Tooled limestone terminal pier to northern end of western parapet. Rubble stone abutments with later rubble stone arched buttress to northern end of west elevation having alternating raised rusticated limestone block voussoirs and rubble stone spandrels surmounted by stone block cornice and low rubble stone parapet wall with convex tooled stone coping. Recent concrete girder bridge perpendicular to south end of side (east) elevation.
Appraisal
An integral part of both the local and the wider Cork wide communication network providing an important transport link over the Bandon River. Due to the importance of this transport route, the bridge was widened in 1838. Remains of the original bridge including a rubble stone abutment and springing of an arch survive to the west. It displays expert craftsmanship and fine materials with tooled stone blocks forming its main fabric. The various plaques add context and provide the names of those involved in its construction.