Survey Data
Reg No
11900504
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Historical, Social, Technical
Original Use
Bridge
In Use As
Bridge
Date
1795 - 1800
Coordinates
290026, 238738
Date Recorded
03/10/2002
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Single-arch rubble stone road bridge over canal, dated 1793, with ashlar voussoirs and cut-stone date stone/plaque. Rock-faced squared rubble stone walls (broken coursed to west; random coursed to east). Cut-stone date stone/plaque. Cut-stone coping to parapet walls. Single shallow segmental arch. Ashlar voussoirs. Squared rubble stone soffits with traces of render over. Sited spanning Royal Canal. Grass banks to canal. Canal lock, c.1795, to west with cut-stone retaining walls having timber lock gates over with integrated pedestrian bridge and possibly retaining early mechanisms.
Appraisal
Chambers Bridge is a fine rubble stone bridge that forms and imposing feature on the Royal Canal and is one of a number of bridges on the section of that canal that passes through County Kildare – as such it is of considerable social and historic significance, representing the canal network development in Ireland in the late eighteenth century that encouraged the commercialisation and/or industrialisation of the country. The construction of the bridge in squared rubble stone attests to the high quality of stone masonry traditionally practised in the development of the canal, and retains fine, crisp joints. The construction of the arch that has retained its original shape is of technical or engineering merit. Also of technical interest is the attendant lock to west, which possibly retains early mechanisms.