IJzeren Brug

English translation

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Description

Iron bridge (Werkhoven, Beverweert).

NEW HOLLAND WATERLINE

Introduction

IRON BRIDGE (Werkhoven, Beverweert) located north of the village of Werkhoven and part of the Molenhoeflaan / Beverweertseweg. Previously a (wooden) bridge stood at this location, but it was replaced when the Kromme Rijn was designated as an inundation channel, around 1870. The military background of the bridge is indirectly discernible through the relatively heavy construction; however, its function was both civil and military in nature. From around 1870 onwards, several existing bridges over the Kromme Rijn were replaced or new ones built. This was done due to the widening of the river and/or because they had to fulfill a function within national defence as part of a 'retreat route'. They then served troops of the Dutch field army retreating from the Grebbelinie to the New Holland Waterline. After the withdrawal of these troops, prepared destruction of the bridges was to take place. Some of the bridges - in various designs - still exist today in more or less authentic form. The raising or removal / destruction of bridges has been a means of warding off intruders since antiquity. Not only did this impede or slow down passage across a watercourse, a dry or wet ditch or a terrain depression, but an attacker also had to provide themselves with means to take the barrier themselves. Wooden bridges were relatively quick to destroy, if necessary by setting them on fire. Stone bridges required a larger and more time-consuming intervention, although an explosive charge could sometimes quickly achieve the desired effect. With the arrival of iron bridges - applied on a large scale in many variants during the course of the 19th century - the second option remained possible, but the first disappeared. Blowing up bridges was capital destruction and happened only in utmost necessity. One way in which iron bridges could be closed was by removing or making inaccessible (small) parts of them. This was not the case with this bridge as the girders extend from end to end. The bridge is located on and at the Molenhoeflaan / Beverweertseweg, which was part of the retreat routes for troops of the Dutch field army. The bridge lies diagonally across the Kromme Rijn and is in largely authentic condition.

Description

IRON BRIDGE (Werkhoven, Beverweert) across the Kromme Rijn and forming part of the Molenhoeflaan / Beverweertseweg. Of the skew-built bridge (length approximately 8 m, width approximately 4 m), what remain in authentic condition are both masonry abutments with natural stone elements and, adjoining these, wings placed diagonally outwards and built up at a fairly steep angle, containing wattlework. The bridge further comprises the authentic, riveted iron girders, which are supported by diagonally placed yokes. The bridge is provided with a deck of wooden boarding, which is flanked on both sides by iron railings on three levels, the uppermost of which terminate in a curl and each of which is supported by eight iron balusters.

Valuation

The IRON BRIDGE (Werkhoven, Beverweert) across the Kromme Rijn and forming part of the Molenhoeflaan / Beverweertseweg is of general interest because of:

* Cultural-historical values as part of the New Holland Waterline as designed by C.R.T. Kraijenhoff and initially realized from 1815 by him, Jan Blanken and major-engineer Willem Offerhaus and subsequently strengthened and improved by others for approximately 125 years.

* Architectural-historical values in particular as an expression of military-strategic construction, which was based on and arose as a result of: a. the system of inundation and access defence (19th century),

This concerns a component from around 1870, namely an expression of historical road and water construction related to military-strategic building in the form of a bridge for both civil and military purposes.

* Ensemble value and situational values as part of the New Holland Waterline. Also because of the functional and physical coherence with the other components of the complex.

The component is well preserved because it has remained virtually unchanged in function.

The component is representative (characteristic) because it is an example of a bridge constructed specifically for a retreating army, which also served a civil function.