Mill Bridge And Weir With Walls And Railings Adjoining

This is a suspension bridge with an associated weir and retaining walls, built in 1903 in Royal Leamington Spa. Designed by William de Normanville, the Borough Engineer, it forms part of Jephson Gardens.

The bridge itself spans approximately 26 metres in three bays and features end towers with latticed ironwork and pointed finials. A round-arched opening between the towers contains a central hanging light. The cast-iron balustrade has a zig-zag lower band, panels of circle-and-x-within-square design, and a rounded handrail. Suspension stays converge at two points and extend beyond the towers to supporting walls.

The retaining walls on the east side are approximately 7 metres long, rising 1 metre on the pedestrian side and 8 metres to the water side, with a supporting wall of 1.5 metres length and 1 metre high for the suspensions. The walls on the west side are curved. The pedestrian-side walls have a chamfered plinth, three courses of rough-cut, 'rustic' stone, and elliptical copings. The square end piers have chamfered plinths, four 'rustic' courses, and peaked copings. An inscription plaque is located on the south-west pier.

The water-side walls curve into a part-horseshoe shape, and the piers develop into stepped, splayed buttresses. Two further pilaster buttresses with chamfered plinths, stepped in the upper section, and surmounted by cast-iron lamp stands decorated with anthemion motifs (the lamp filling is missing) are positioned on each side. Above water level, on each side, are two round-arched niches with voussoirs to the heads. The inscription, partly eroded, commemorates the opening of the gardens and acknowledges William Davis, Murray Molesworth, and Councillor Charles Purer, as well as William de Normanville.

Lancet railings are located on the south side at the east and west ends, with the east side having octagonal gate piers and a double gate. The weir is constructed with five elliptical steps.