1996:200 - NEWBRIDGE, Parsonstown, St Wolstan’s and Coneyburrow, Kildare

Archaeological investigations/excavations took place over a three-week period between 1 and 21 July 1996 at the ‘Newbridge’, Celbridge, Co. Kildare. The work was conducted prior to proposed bridge and road improvements to service the adjacent Hewlett Packard complex presently being constructed. Although generally referred to as a widening scheme, the new bridge will be totally independent of the old structure. The archaeological work at the bridge included both underwater and land investigations/excavations. The funding for the project was provided by Kildare County Council from the Department of the Environment/National Roads Authority aided by EU funds. Project coordinator was Valerie J. Keeley Ltd.

The bridge named ‘Newbridge’ appears to be partially built on the remains of an earlier bridge constructed in 1308. The original structure was constructed with the aid of the mayor of Dublin, John le Decer. In 1949 the original bridge was dismantled and the present structure built in its place. The work, prompted by the Leixlip Hydro-Electric Development, raised the water-level of the Liffey, thus creating a water reservoir for the city of Dublin. The new bridge has four arches as opposed to three on the original bridge, and two pedestrian refuges as opposed to only one on the original bridge.

Underwater investigation/excavation
Underwater investigations undertaken in 1995 located paving underneath the central arch of the bridge. The 1996 work included the recording of this paving and the excavation of trenches in the locations to be affected by the proposed bridge structure. Eight trenches were excavated and no artefacts of archaeological significance were uncovered. The excavations/investigations did reveal the basal remains of the 1308 central pier and cutwater beneath the central arch of the present structure. They also revealed the stepped foundations of the original bridge pier below the present west pier and paving beneath the central arch of the existing structure.

Land investigations
Land investigations were conducted in areas to be affected by the bridge structure. Five trenches were manually excavated, revealing no artefacts of archaeological significance.