Survey Data
Reg No
11809023
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social, Technical
Original Use
Bridge
In Use As
Bridge
Date
1830 - 1870
Coordinates
292351, 229201
Date Recorded
18/06/2002
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Three-arch rubble stone hump back road bridge over river, c.1850, with round cut-waters, dressed stone voussoirs having keystones, engaged intermittent piers, cut-stone stringcourse and cut-stone coping. Squared rubble stone walls. Squared rubble stone circular cut-waters, engaged intermediary piers, stringcourse over, parapet walls and coping. Three segmental arches. Dressed cut-stone voussoirs with keystones. Rubble stone soffits with traces of render over. Sited spanning River Liffey with grass banks to river.
Appraisal
Straffan Bridge is a fine stone bridge that forms an imposing feature on the River Liffey and is one of a group of bridges on the section of that river that passes through County Kildare. The construction of the arches that have retained their original shape is of technical and engineering merit. The bridge exhibits good quality stone masonry and fine, crisp joints. The bridge is of considerable historical and social significance as a reminder of the road network development in Ireland in the mid nineteenth century.