Bridge in Greatdown

Single-arch hump-backed canal bridge carrying small road over Royal Canal, built c.1806. Constructed of dressed limestone with ashlar limestone detailing, including a projecting string course at parapet base level/road level, voussoirs to arch and coping over parapet walls. Towpath runs under bridge to the west. Located to the southeast of Mullingar Town with rubble limestone walls running away to either end of bridge. Canal lock gates located adjacent to the north having timber balance arms and cast-iron fittings.

A typically well-built canal bridge, which is a valuable part of the architectural heritage of Westmeath and the industrial heritage of Ireland. Although humble in form, this structure has a simple and functional elegance. It is robustly built in fine stone masonry, which is testament to the long term ambitions of the Royal Canal Company at the start of the nineteenth century. The use of locally sourced material gives it a distinctive visual appeal and helps to integrate this feature into the local landscape. The timber lock/sluice gates to the north end are an unusual feature in that they don't appear to be associated with a canal lock as there is only one set of gates as opposed to the usual two pairs of gates.