Survey Data
Reg No
30330011
Rating
Regional
Categories of Special Interest
Architectural, Social, Technical
Original Use
Weighbridge/weighhouse
Date
1920 - 1930
Coordinates
150827, 263369
Date Recorded
30/09/2009
Date Updated
--/--/--
Description
Cast-iron metal weighbridge, dated 1925. Four wheel channels to corners, with decorative motifs between measures. Lettering 'W&T Avery Ltd Birmingham 1925 No. 537' in raised lettering at centre. Octagonal-plan single-storey weigh-house adjacent, having rendered walls, conical roof, square-headed doorway and having inscribed limestone plaques to faces commemorating local history and modern events.
Appraisal
Weighbridges were once a common feature in Irish market town as they provided impartial measurements to bulk bought goods as they were owned and operated by the local authorities. Now mostly removed, it is unusual to find one in situ. The weighbridge and adjacent monument, the housing for the weighbridge mechanism, enhance the character of The Square and mark it as the heart of the old market town.