Homersfield Bridge Alburgh, England

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

In the entry for the following:

HOMERSFIELD TM 28 NE 1/9 Homersfield Bridge

3.6.81

• II

The grade shall be upgraded to grade II*, and the description shall be amended to read:

Bridge, dated to 1869. Architect Henry Eyton, constructed by Messrs Phillips for the Flixton estate. Composite wrought iron and concrete construction, cast iron balustrade. Of single span with segmental arch. The wrought iron is expressed on the arch face and at the level of the carriageway. Otherwise the internal cross members, now visible due to rust staining were originally encased in mass concrete. The soffit of the bridge is composed of this, finished fairface, as are the spandrels which have readed panels. The open balustrade is of cast iron bolted to the wrought iron top member. Balusters with spiral nailhead ribbon decoration carry wide St Andrews crosses with guillocke ornament. At the inter- section of each cross is a medallion initialled S.A. (Sir Shafto Adair, Bart). The moulded cast iron handrails carry ball finials above each baluster. On one side the handrail is embossed with a small panel "HM EYTON, architect". At the centre of each face of the bridge cast iron sheilds with the arms of the Adair family. The roadway edge is of york stone paviours, finished with roll nosing above the bridge faces. At each end of the bridge the balustrade terminates in short brick piers with rectangular York stone caps. Repair drawings from 1907 record that the bridge was padlocked with a chain each year at a time of flood "So as to force people to pay the toll...2d each is charged". The composite construc- tion of the bridge makes it an early forerunner of modern reinforced concrete structures. At the time of this description (Feb 1989) the bridge is the subject of a joint conservation project involving Norfolk Historic Building Trust and Suffolk Preservation Society. Sources:-Copies of construction drawings together with contractors and architects letters dated December,1869 ; Norfolk County Council Highways Department; Suffolk Preservation Society Newsletter Winter 1986-7, p.3.

NB This building is also listed in the District of South Norfolk, Norfolk, and is situated in the parishes of Aldburgh and Wortwell. See the 6th amendement to the 30th list of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic: Interest in the District of South Norfolk as at 26 6 81.

HOMERSFIELD TM 28 NE 1/9 Homersfield Bridge

3.6.81

• II

A single span road bridge over the river Waveney, now converted to a foot bridge. Circa 1870. By H.M. Eyton for Sir Shafto Adair. In pre-cast concrete with cast iron parapets. The spandrels of the supporting arch have reeded panels, and in the centre is a cast iron shield. The parapets are in open panels,, originally 13 on each side, though almost all are missing on the west. Each panel has a wide St. Andrew's Cross with guilloche ornament and a circle at the intersection with the initials SA. Between the panels are short pillars with diagonal banding. The short sections of moulded handrail are linked by raised knobs; the centre section on the east side has a small panel with 'H.M. Eyton, Architect' on it. At each end of the bridge the parapets are embedded in short plain red brick pillars. Two rows of mid-C20 concrete posts and metal rails have been set inside the original parapets to prevent vehicles using the bridge. This is said to be the earliest use of precast concrete for a bridge in England.

Listing NGR: TM2836785740