Indicated — Athlone,athlone AND Bigmeadow

The present town of Athlone developed around the Anglo-Norman stone castle (WM029-042002-) and medieval bridge which offered a crossing point over the River Shannon connecting the medieval kingdom of Connacht to the kingdom of Meath. In 1682 Sir Henry Piers described the siting of the town and bridge when he wrote that Athlone town was situated 'on both banks of the Shannon. The part on this side [east] the river was better built. The other part [west] together with the king's castle (WM029-042002-) situated on the western banks, is in the county of Roscommon, both parts united into one town, by a very strong, high-raised and well-built bridge' (Vallancey 1786, 85). There appears to have been a sequence of bridges built over the River Shannon possibly at the same location which may have been located close to a natural fording point over the river since prehistoric times. In the year 994 the Annals of Clonmacnoise records that Maelsechlainn [king of Mide] and Cathal O’Connor [king of Connacht] ‘made a bridge at Athlone over the Synan’ (Ann. Clon., 165). It has been suggested that this reference to a bridge may be describing the construction of a ford instead (Murtagh 1994, 12). In the year 1001 the Annals of Ulster recorded that the ‘causeway of Ath-Luain [was made] by Maelsechlainn (high king of Ireland), and by Cathal son of Conchobar’ (AU, 509). This causeway may have been a wooden bridge built on the site of the fording point over the River Shannon. At least six bridges were built over the River Shannon at Athlone between the years 1120 and 1159. The first of these, built in 1120 by Toirrdealbach Ua Conchobhar [Turlough O'Conor], was destroyed in 1125. The second bridge was built in 1129 together with a protecting castle. A third bridge was constructed by Toirrdealbach in 1132. In 1133 both bridge and castle were destroyed and a fourth bridge was built in 1140 and lasted until 1153 when it was destroyed by Maelsechlainn, king of Mide. This was replaced by a new bridge (the fifth) in 1155 but destroyed in the same year. A sixth bridge was constructed in 1159 but it was destroyed in 1162. Around the year 1210 the Anglo-Normans commenced construction of the stone castle (WM029-042002-) of Athlone and the adjoining bridge which connected the castle located on the W side of the River Shannon to the Anglo-Norman settlement on the E side of the river. In 1210 a bridge was built by John de Grey, Bishop of Norwich who was the justiciar of Ireland and who was also responsible for the construction of the stone castle (WM029-042002-) at Athlone. In this year the annals recorded the arrival of the Bishop of Norwich, who came to Athlone where 'a bridge (WM029-042004-) was constructed by him across Ath-Luain, and a castle (WM029-042002-) instead of O'Conchobhair's castle (WM029-042098-)' (ALC). Work is again recorded at the bridge in 1232-4 when masonry work was suspended on the ward of Rindown castle (RO046-004002-), Co. Roscommon. In 1233 in order to permit the completion of the bridge at Athlone. Whether this work involved the completion of de Grey's bridge, begun twenty years earlier, or the construction of a new bridge, is unclear but it suggests that the bridge was of stone. In this year the state papers recorded that the ‘justiciary of Ireland notifies that the bridge of Athlone can be completed for 80 marks, 30 marks to be employed on carriage, and 50 marks on works. As it would be advantageous to Ireland that this bridge should be finished, the K. commands the treasurer to pay the money out of the K.’s treasure, the masonry work of the ward of the castle of Reindown (Rinndown, Co. Roscommon) to be suspended’ (Cal. doc. Ire., 304). A stone bridge is specifically referred to in the accounts of the justiciar, Geoffrey de Geneville for 1274-5 but again it is unclear whether this represents the rebuilding of the old bridge destroyed in 1272 or its replacement by an entirely new one. In 1290 John FitzThomas, Archbishop of Dublin, keeper of Ireland led an army against the K.’s enemies of Offaly and Leys [Laois]. During this campaign he heard of news on the feast of the Apostles Philip and James [May 6, 1290] ‘that the Irish had transgressed against the peace at Athlone, and that the bridge of Athlone was falling; he then prepared himself and went to those parts. The expenses thereof begin on Saturday aforesaid as appears by accounts, and he was 9 days in going, remaining, and returning’ (Cal. doc. Ire., 273). In the same year there is a receipt for payment of the expenses of ‘John Archbishop of Dublin, holding the place of chief justiciary of Ireland, in going to the castle of Athlone, and remaining there to treat with the Irish of those parts, to inspect the defects of the works of the castle and bridge, and to expedite public affairs there’ (Cal. doc. Ire., 326). By 1305 the bridge was again in need of repair. In this year the crown recorded that it ‘is agreed also that the houses of the King’s Castle (WM029-042002-) of Athlon[e], which are much ruined and broken, and the bridge between the castle and the town (WM029-042----) there, be repaired out of the issues of the county of Connacht, in a competent manner. Therefore let a writ be made to the Sheriff of Connacht directing him to pay to Ric.[hard] de Oxon’ sheriff of Roscommon, 20 marks. And let Ricard sheriff of Roscommon receive said money and spend it in repair of said houses and bridge, by advice of Ric. de Exon’ justice, by the hands of lawful workmen’(Cal. justic. Rolls, Ire. Edw. I, 65). A year later in 1306 Richard de Exeter, constable of Roscommon castle, received payment for 'making a bridge at Athlone with a gate at the end thereof', presumably at the western end. This is the last record of the Anglo-Norman bridge and its subsequent fate is unknown (Bradley et. al. 1985, 30). The 13th century Anglo-Norman stone bridge presumably fell into disrepair over the centuries and was replaced by a new stone bridge in the 16th century. In 1557 the Lord Deputy, Sir Henry Sidney, ordered a new stone bridge to be built and although it suffered much at the hands of both sides in the sieges of 1690-1 it survived until 1844 when the present bridge was constructed 50m to the N of it. In 1557 a new bridge was built but despite a letter of 1567 which claimed that all Connacht had been tamed by the building of the bridge (Cal. S.P. Ire., 346). Piers writing in 1682, described it as 'a very strong, high raised and well-built bridge, in the middle whereof stands a fair monument with some figures well cut in marble, together with Queen Elizabeth's scutheon of arms and some inscriptions declaring the time and the founders of the building. This bridge, tho’ the arches thereof be wide and large, causeth the river, which here is very deep, to rise and swell backwards, so that under it the river hath a great fall, which giveth an advantageous situation to several undershaft mills (WM029-042079-; WM029-042080-; WM029-042100-) at each end of the bridge. One tower on the corner of the castle (WM029-042002-) wall is so advantageously seated that it commandeth the whole bridge, which nevertheless hath a great drawbridge on that end'. The presence of mills dates to at least 1578 when Edmund O'Fallone of Athlone was leased two watermills which he himself had built on the bridge. According to Joly (1881, 18) the bridge had nine arches and was 360 feet [110m] in length with a maximum of 14 feet [4.25m] in width. Sidney's bridge stood about 50m downstream of the modern bridge just S of the castle, linking Bridge Street on the E with Main Street on the W. It is perhaps a reasonable assumption that the twelfth century bridges occupied this site also but this remains to be definitely established. The 16th century stone bridge was ornamented with a series of plaques which were removed prior to its demolition in 1844 and are now preserved in the National Museum of Ireland. In all thirteen plaques