Baal’s Bridge
Baal’s Bridge is a single span arched bridge across the Abbey River which connects the historic areas of Irishtown and Englishtown in Limerick. Although the current bridge was built in the period 1830-1831, it replaces a much older four arched bridge that had existed at the site since the 1340s. After the sieges of Limerick in 1690-1691, houses were built at either side of the original structure leaving just enough room in between for people to cross. In 1775, the bridge was badly damaged by a high tide resulting in many of the houses on the bridge fell into the river. The current Baal’s Bridge was commissioned in the mid-1820s by the Right Honourable Thomas Spring Rice M.P. in order to improve transport links and to support trade in Limerick. The bridge was designed by architects James and George Pain who were also responsible for designing Mathew Bridge (the bridge just downstream of Baal’s Bridge) and Athlunkard Bridge.
When the foundations for the present bridge were being excavated, an old brass masonic set-square was discovered. It is inscribed with a Freemasons motto: “I will strive to live with Love and Care Upon the Level By the Square” and the date “1507”. More recent excavations were carried out in the Abbey River under Baal’s Bridge in 1999 as part of the Limerick Main Drainage project and uncovered artefacts dating from pre-historic times to the post-medieval period. Items recovered included pieces of worked flint, pottery, various coins ranging in date from 1200 to 1540, iron and stone musket balls, gun flints, iron bayonets and fragments of iron mortar bombs.
Baal’s Bridge has two plaques.
The upstream plaque reads:
“This bridge was erected by virtue of an Act of the XIth of Geo.e the IV. The Rt. Honble. Thos. Spring Rice M.P. for the city of Limerick. Commenced taking down the old bridge Nov. 1830. The new bridge finished Nov. 1831. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.”
The downstream plaque reads:
“The ancient bridge of four arches which occupied this site was taken down and this bridge erected at the expense of the new Limerick Navigation Company incorporated 1830 - Chas. Wye Williams Esqr. Chief Director. J.A. & G. R. Pain Architects.”
The Benchmark
Beneath the upstream plaque, an Ordnance Survey benchmark can be seen.
It resembles a crow’s foot or three-legged stool carved into the stone with three lines in an arrow formation connecting at the point to a horizontal line. These benchmarks were cut into walls, buildings and bridges across Ireland as part of the primary levelling and contouring of Ireland in the first ordnance survey carried out by the military between 1827 and 1843. The horizontal line of each of these benchmarks is at a precisely known elevation relative to the Irish datum point which was fixed on Poolbeg Lighthouse in Dublin in 1837. This datum was superseded by Mean Sea Level at Malin Head in 1958. The horizontal line of the benchmark was used as a guide to hold or calibrate the levelling and survey equipment. The 25” series maps produced between 1897 and 1913 show the location of benchmarks with the initials B.M. followed by its elevation relative to the datum. The benchmark on Baal’s Bridge can be seen in the OSI map extract below.
There are many of these benchmarks to be found on walls, buildings and bridges all over Ireland – spotting them becomes almost as addictive as Geocaching!
As previously mentioned, Baal’s bridge connects the historical areas of Englishtown (Mary Street side) and Irishtown (Broad Street side). Englishtown is the older part of the city and includes King’s Island incorporating King John’s Castle, St Mary’s Cathedral and the Exchange wall. Irishtown is more modern, the streets of the Newton Pery area are arranged in a grid-iron pattern and there is a wealth of Georgian buildings and architecture. Looking upstream from Baal’s Bridge you can see the Abbey Bridge and the confluence of the now disused Park Canal navigation and the Abbey River. Looking downstream from Baal’s Bridge you can see Mathew Bridge and Barrington’s Hospital on George’s Quay on your right (see if you can spot the Benchmark on the walls outside the hospital!)
Parking
There are a number of parking options available in and around the city so I’ll just mention a few of the closest here – there are two multi-story car parks nearby (Arthur’s Quay and Charlotte’s Quay). On street parking is available on Charlotte’s Quay, George's Quay and around King John’s Castle. The on street parking is probably best used in the evening or at weekends when it is more likely that spaces will be available and parking charges and time restrictions may not apply (check the signs near the parking bays).
The Cache
The cache is a nano. It has room for a logbook only so remember to BYOP. Beware that the bridge can be rather busy at peak times - it is probably a more pleasant place to stop and enjoy on a summer evening or at weekends.
Congratulations to 4Sisons for being FTF!