Bridge

MANY GUIDES REFER TO IT AS THE BRIDGE AND HERMITAGE

I had difficulty photographing this as there was an intense rain storm and parts of the park became flooded very quickly.

The Gothic Bridge in St Anne’s Park is also known as the Bridge & Hermitage. This is because it is located next to a small cave-like structure, which is thought to have been used as a hermitage in the past.

The early development of the Park coincided with the Guinness family’s sudden rise in profits following Sir Arthur’s exporting of his famous stout to England in 1825. The Park symbolised the power and wealth of this family in British and Irish society. The two bachelor sons of Sir Arthur, Arthur Jr. and Benjamin Lee, resided at the original house on this site, Thornhill, purchased in 1835, until 1837, when they demolished it and built St. Anne‟s for Benjamin Lee and his new wife, cousin Elizabeth .

The design and layout of the park was largely influenced by Benjamin Lee, an antiquary who was interested in the ancient monuments of both Ireland and classical Rome. His influence can be seen in the following Italiannate features:

 Pompeiian temple/teahouse and vistas to Dublin Bay
 Herculanean house and garden
 Yew Walk with nymphaeum and Italian statuary (now lost)
 Yew circle
 Sham ruin (Annie Lee bridge)
 Roman Tomb of the Julii monument

Oldstone Conservation were appointed as Main Contractor & PSCS to undertake conservation works to twelve of these follies. The works involved the repair and rebuild of the structures and reinstatement of the adjoining paths and embankments.

The “Bridge & Hermitage” spans the Nanekin River and houses a hermits cave. Works included rebuilding the parapet walls, repointing the stonework and applying a coat of harled lime render to the external stone face. Loose stone was laid on the river bed upstream and downstream to form breakwater during low water flows