County: Kildare Site name: LEIXLIP BRIDGE
Sites and Monuments Record No.: N/A Licence number: —
Author: Aisling Collins, CRDS Ltd, Unit 4, Dundrum Business Park, Dublin 14.
Site type: Post-medieval
Period/Dating: —
ITM: E 697251m, N 732985m
Latitude, Longitude (decimal degrees): 53.338155, -6.539706
At the request of Kildare County Council, an underwater archaeological survey was undetaken in advance of the proposed footpath-widening site at Leixlip (Salmon Leap), Co. Kildare. Lexlip is located at the confluence of the River Liffey and its tributary, the Rye Water. Salmon Leap Bridge is located on the River Liffey immediately south of the town. The site is located on the bridge entering the village of Leixlip; the footpath on the upstream side of the bridge is in a poor state of repair. It is intended to replace the existing 0.9–1.2m-wide footpath with a 2m one.
There was evidence of slight erosion occurring under the footing of the bridge, with more severe erosion under the most southern arch. The central river channel flows under this arch. The breakwater under this arch is partly diminished. The proposed development will have little impact on the riverbed or banks, as it is only being widened, therefore the base of the bridge will remain untouched. As the existing bridge base is being retained and only the upper part of the bridge is being widened, there will be no impact on the actual river or banks.
