Cof Cymru: National Historic Assets of Wales · Wales
Tunnel Bridge
Ruthin, Denbighshire, Wales
A Grade II listed building in Castle Park, Ruthin, Denbighshire, designated on 30 December 2005.
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade II
- Broad class
- No class recorded
- Date of designation
- 30 December 2005
- Locality
- Castle Park
- Town
- Ruthin
- Community
- Ruthin
- Unitary authority
- Denbighshire
- Country
- Wales
- Coordinates
- 53.10856, -3.31299
- Cadw reference
- 87352
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesLlyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of WalesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
5 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1795 map "To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most humbly inscribed by his obedient humble servant" (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales).
Historical maps covering this location
- 1795 · To Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn Bart ... the map of the six counties of North Wales is most… (Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru – The National Library of Wales)
- 1830 · V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. A. Kon: England. b. Frstenthum Wales: Shire: 37-40 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1883 · Watershed map England, Wales 3. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1898 · 108 Flint (Hills) (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
- 1901 · Sheet 9 and 10. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
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.
Nearby in the register
- Scott HouseNo class recordedunder 1 mi
- Ruthin Castle HotelCommercialunder 1 mi
- Ruthin CastleCastleunder 1 mi
- Screen Wall & Folly adjoining the N end of CraigleDomesticunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.