Tunnel Bridge

Cadw's description

Location

Located in Castle Park and carrying a former driveway, now track, over the River Clwyd. A tunnel under its E approach contains a public footpath, reached from the N and E.

History

Early C19 bridge, probably contemporary with the building of the house at Ruthin Castle (now Ruthin Castle Hotel). A length of masonry to its E is much earlier, possibly medieval, and includes a low arch over the former mill-race which led to the town mill. The mill-race was fed by a small weir on the SE side of the bridge. A bridge is shown here on the 1874 Ordnance Survey.

Exterior

Large single-span bridge of coursed stone; wide segmental arch of stone voussoirs with dripmould, springing from ground level. String course to parapets which have flat stone copings, replaced in parts with concrete. Wide, very slightly humped deck, now grass-covered. Splayed ends to bridge, with quadrant walls and end piers, the parapets continuous. Adjoining to the E is an older wall, of large blocks of random stone, the top truncated at current deck level. At its base is a low segmental arch of stone voussoirs, slightly inset. This carries a mill-race in the form of an earthwork, from a small weir on the SE side of the bridge, for some distance to the N. Further E and slightly set back on the N face, is a short section of masonry containing the entrance to a narrow tunnel, which carries a footpath under the bridge. It has an elliptical-arched brick vault on stone side walls. To the S is a projection with stone side walls only, which curves round slightly towards the SW.

Reason for designation

Listed as a fine early C19 bridge in a parkland setting retaining its architectural character, the arch over the former mill-race of additional historic interest.