Bridge

The National Monuments Service's description

A road bridge (L 26.7m, wall T 0.45m; parapet wall H 1.07m) over the Nenagh River immediately E of Ballyartella tower house (TN014-057001-). The bridge has five spans and was originally 4.4m wide. A further 1.75m was added onto the N (downstream) side. Some dressed stone is evident on the original bridge and there is a suggestion of wicker centring on the underside of the vault. Originally there were three refuges (D. 0.75m; Wth 1.6m) 3.5m apart on the S side of the bridge, but today only two refuges survive standing on triangular-shaped cutwaters, which appear to have been refaced. The relief arches are of roughly cut blocks of limestone. Stone bedrock under the spans have been quarried out. A ford at Ballyartella is mentioned in Civil Survey 1654-6 (Simington 1934, vol. 2, 297).

The above description is derived from 'The Archaeological Inventory of County Tipperary. Vol. 1 - North Tipperary' compiled by Jean Farrelly and Caimin O'Brien (Dublin: Stationery Office, 2002). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled and revised by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of revised upload: 16 December 2015

References

Simington, R.C. (ed.) 1934 The Civil survey, AD 1654-1656. Vol. II: county of Tipperary - Western and Northern baronies. Dublin. Irish Manuscripts Commission.