bridge

Double-arch bridge, built c. 1860, carrying road over Naniken River and over footpath, and incorporating hermitage. Rubble limestone to spandrels and parapets, with cobbles to coping. Roughly squared limestone stringcourses to east and west elevations. Pointed arches with roughly squared limestone voussoirs over river and over pedestrian pathway to south. Pointed arch openings to hermitage, and smooth rendered wall to interior. Pointed arch opening to north of arch to west elevation, blocked. Pointed arch door opening from hermitage to pedestrian path.

Benjamin Lee Guinness and his brother Arthur bought Thornhill Estate in 1835, renaming it St. Ann's after the nearby holy well. The estate was considerably expanded by Benjamin and his successor, Arthur Edward Guinness, Lord Ardilaun. Benjamin undertook extensive landscaping work and constructed several classical and rustic follies to enhance the gardens. This folly serves a practical purpose in providing a crossing over the river, and replaced an earlier timber bridge, marked on the first edition Ordnance Survey map. It is well-executed in rubble stone, and provides an interesting and aesthetically-pleasing focal point on the river side walk. Hermitages such as this were built to give the impression that they were occupied by a hermit, some actually being furnished to give credence to the implication. It was not uncommon that they would be built as part of a bridge.