Monument record 1791/0/1 - Farndon-Holt Bridge

<1> Capstick B, 1981-1987, Field Monument Warden Report, Ches 124: Capstick B, 1986 (Unpublished Report). SCH1222.

Farndon Bridge spans the River Dee between England and Wales. Mentioned in 1391, when tolls were received by the Earl of Arundel, but probably built c.1345 (this date was reported by Pennant as being inscribed on the bridge). Referred to as a great stone bridge by Leland, and of ten arches with remains of a guard house in the middle by Pennant. In 1857, vestiges of a tower and gateway remained, but the bridge was described as being of eight arches.

<2> English Heritage, 2005, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest, 403439 (Digital Archive). SCH4666.

Bridge circa 1345, of red sandstone. Five arches over river, one flood arch on east (Farndon) side and two on west (Holt) side in Clwyd. Abutments rebuilt and widened probably early nineteenth century. Cutwaters. Deep segmental arches have two rings of voussoirs, the inner ring recessed, the outer one chamfered. Projecting cyma-moulded band at road level. The western-most river arch (in Clwyd) has a single ring of voussoirs rising into the parapet above a flatter (twentieth century?) lower arch. According to tradition, the bridge was fortified and this altered arch may replace a draw-span. The western (Clwyd) abutment, at an angle to the bridge, has a rebuilt eastern flood-arch. Moulded band removed from abutments/flood arches. Late twentieth century mild steel rail of one bar on each plain, flush-coped parapet. Between the flood-arches and abutments the medieval bridge is unwidened and little altered.

<3> Council for British Archaeology, 1980, CBA Group 5 Urban Research Committee Towns and Villages Survey Record Sheet, Farndon: Cordon M (Unpublished Report). SCH551.

Location of the Saxon town at a bridging point on the River Dee, opposite the Roman station of Holt, suggests there was probably a ford from an early date.

<4> Ormerod, G., 1882, The History of the County Palatine and City of Chester, Vol.II p.743 (Book). SCH1389.

‘…an antient bridge of [nine not] eight, arches, particularly noticed in Webb’s Itinerary, and represented in the annexed engraving…over the third arch of the bridge, are traces of a tower or guard house…’

<5> Dore R N, 1966, The Civil Wars in Cheshire, p.30 (Book). SCH3108.

A number of Civil War actions involved the besieging and capture of this bridge. An eighteenth century painting in the National Gallery shows the tower and drawbridge. The gatehouse was pulled down in the eighteenth century.

<6> Ordnance Survey, 1870-1982, Ordnance Survey Archaeological Record Card, SJ 45 SW 12 (Index). SCH2487.

Between Cheshire and Wales. Built about 1345. Nine arches, five of them over the water. The arches are segmental. Triangular projections both sides.

An outstanding medieval bridge carrying a modern road. [DJC 15/03/1976].

<7> Cheshire County Council, 1992-1995, Cheshire Past, Issue 1, p.14-15 (Newsletter). SCH870.

An archaeological watching brief and survey was undertaken in 1990 at Holt-Farndon Bridge during a programme of restoration of the bridge. The removal of the carriageway revealed parts of the footings of the gate tower, including the polygonal corner turrets and what were probably gutter stones. The survey of the elevations enabled various periods and styles of earlier repairs to be identified. It also demonstrated that considerable quantities of the original structure still survive, and that the bridge's present appearance is very similar to its medieval one, apart from the loss of two arches and the gate tower.

<8> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2015, Archaeological Monitoring and Recording During Bridge Investigations, Holt-Farndon Bridge (Client Report). SCH7878.

A watching brief undertaken by Earthworks Archaeology in 2015 to monitor a series of trial pits excavated in order to investigate the apparent acceleration in the rate of decay of the stonework of Farndon Bridge, also to determine the construction details of surface and drainage works undertaken in 1990. Five trial pits were dug, two located at either end of the carriageway and three in the pedestrian walkway refuge areas contained within the triangular cutwater projections located either side of the bridge.

The photographic record completed during the bridge improvement works in the 1990s clearly demonstrates the deep disturbance associated with the replacement of the carriageway itself, but also suggests that within the cutwater piers disturbance was limited. The small area of concrete removed within trial pit 1, located within the triangular refuge area of the cutwater between biridge arches 7 and 8, revealed sandstone rubble similar to that exposed and recorded on the adjacent downstream side of the bridge during the 1990 restoration programme. This context may well represent survival of the medieval fabric of the bridge; it lies immediately beneath the thin layer of concrete laid during the 1990s restoration works and, as such, may be vulnerable to future intrusive maintenance works.

<9> Earthworks Archaeological Services, 2018, Repairs to the Farndon - Holt Bridge, Farndon, Cheshire, England & Holt, Wrexham, North Wales: An Archaeological Watching Brief, R4252 (Client Report). SCH8592.

An archaeological watching brief was undertaken in 2018 during repair works to the Farndon – Holt Bridge. It was carried out during the excavation of the existing carriageway to the bridge and during the excavation of a number of narrow service trenches located at either end. Additionally, a record was made during the replacement of damaged masonry to the bridge parapets. The results of the watching brief demonstrated that the current programme of works had little impact upon the ancient fabric of the bridge structure over that of the replacement masonry. Similarly, the excavation of the bridge carriageway and service trenches had minimal impact upon any buried deposits at either end of the bridge where little of archaeological significance was revealed.

<10> Higham N J, 1984-9, Professor Nick Higham's Aerial Photographs, 3494/13, 18/08/1986 (Aerial Photograph). SCH7659.

<11> Wilson R, 1762, Holt Bridge on the River Dee (Graphic Material). SCH9123.

This painting depicts the bridge complete with gatehouse in its centre.