Homersfield Bridge

Homersfield Bridge

A single span road bridge over the river Waveney, now converted to a foot bridge, dated to 1869. Designed by architect Henry Eyton and constructed by Messrs Phillips for Sir Shafto Adair of the Flixton estate.

The bridge employs composite wrought iron and concrete construction. Of single span with segmental arch, the wrought iron is expressed on the arch face and at the level of the carriageway. The internal cross members, now visible due to rust staining, were originally encased in mass concrete. The soffit is composed of fair-faced concrete, as are the spandrels which have reeded panels. At the centre of each face is a cast iron shield with the arms of the Adair family.

The balustrade is of cast iron, bolted to the wrought iron top member. The open panels—originally thirteen on each side, though almost all are missing on the west—feature wide St Andrews crosses with guilloche ornament and a circle at each intersection bearing the initials SA (for Sir Shafto Adair, Baronet). Between the panels are short pillars with diagonal banding. The moulded cast iron handrails carry ball finials above each baluster. The balusters themselves are decorated with spiral nailhead ribbon. On one side the handrail is embossed with a small panel reading "H.M. Eyton, Architect".

The roadway edge is finished with york stone paviours and roll nosing above the bridge faces. At each end, the balustrade terminates in short brick piers with rectangular york stone caps.

Two rows of mid-20th century concrete posts and metal rails have been set inside the original parapets to prevent vehicles using the bridge.

Repair drawings from 1907 record that the bridge was padlocked with a chain each year at times of flood "so as to force people to pay the toll...2d each is charged".

The composite construction of the bridge makes it an early forerunner of modern reinforced concrete structures, and it is said to be the earliest use of precast concrete for a bridge in England.