Description

CARLISLE

NY4056 Eden Bridge
671-1/7/123
01/06/49

GV I

Road bridge over River Eden. 1812-15, for the County of
Cumberland by Robert Smirke, with various minor alterations
and 1932 widening by Percy Dalton, City Engineer. Reeded
calciferous sandstone ashlar. 5 segmental arches of double
width, on rounded piers, with flush voussoirs, string course
and solid parapet. North to south alignment. Abutments project
at either side on the south and the north-west but replaced by
steps on north-east as an entrance to Rickerby Park; the
recesses in the parapets above the abutments have a stone seat
with flanking rectangular cast-iron gas lamp brackets now
surmounted by C20 electric light globes. A pedestrian tunnel
was cut through the south in 1902, lined with white glazed
bricks; external stone steps were added on the south-west side
to reach the tunnel; a ramp gives access at the other side.
Under the arches can be seen the cleaner stonework of the
extension on the east side which has a face exactly matching
that on the west but of new stone.
Cut onto the south-west abutment are the various flood dates
and levels, but most are now weathered - DEC 13TH 1852 and
1857 are visible. Fixed onto the bridge parapet are various
bronze plaques giving a brief history and a central one
recording the widening. Under the arches in the river bed are
the remains of a C16 bridge and its associated piling
discovered during dredging in 1951. For history of site see
Hogg CWAAS, Trans.NS LII and Macdonald, CWAAS, Trans.NS LXXI.
This was one of the two bridges built together but the
southern channel of the river was left dry and gradually
filled; the southern bridge was demolished in 1969-70 to make
way for the inner ring road. A Scheduled Ancient Monument.
(Cumb. & West. Antiquarian & Archaeological Soc., New Series:
Hogg, Robert: LII: The Historic Crossings of the River Eden:
P.131-159; Cumb. & West. Antiquarian & Archaeological Soc.,
New Series: MacDonald MIM: LXXI: The building of the New Eden
Bridge: P.248-259).

Listing NGR: NY4005556571

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530557

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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