Gonsal Lane Bridge, Dorrington, :

by H R Hannaford

Archaeology Service Archaeology Service Report Number 223 © Shropshire County Council March 2003

GONSAL LANE BRIDGE, DORRINGTON, SHROPSHIRE

by H R HANNAFORD MIFA

A Report for the

COMMUNITY AND ENVIRONMENT DIRECTORATE SHROPSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Archaeology Service Unit 4, Owen House, Radbrook Centre, Radbrook Road,, SY3 9BJ Tel: (01743) 254018 Fax: (01743) 254047 TELFORD & WREKIN COUNCIL Gonsall Lane Bridge, Dorrington, Shropshire

1 Introduction The Gonsal Lane bridge was a wrought iron through girder bridge of late 19th- century date. The bridge carried Gonsal Lane, a minor road between Stapleton and Great Ryton, across the Cound Brook about 1km north of Dorrington (NGR: SJ 477 043).

A programme of bridge strengthening works is being undertaken by Shropshire County Council on a number of minor road bridges in the county. As part of this programme of work, the 19th-century bridge was replaced in 2003 with a steel girder through bridge in the same location.

In view of the historical significance of the older bridge, it was considered appropriate that a photographic record should be made of it before its replacement. The Archaeology Service was commissioned to make this record. A series of colour slide and black and white photographs were taken of the bridge before the commencement of the works in January 2003.

2 The Bridge The 19th-century Gonsal Lane Bridge was a wrought iron lattice through girder bridge with a single span of 30 feet (9.1m) between brick abutments. The lattice girders carried H-section beams which supported the decking of curved steel buckle plates. The wing-walls were of brick with stone copings, while the bridge parapets along the top of the lattice girders were wooden rails.

A brief account of the Gonsal Lane Bridge is given in Blackwell, 1985 Although the date of the bridge's construction is not known, there was a manufacturer's plate inscribed Dyne Steel & Co, Engineers, Newport, Mon. on the southern parapet. Identical name-plates survive on the New Bridge, built in 1883-4 (which is also due to be replaced as part of the current bridge strengthening programme).

(Blackwell, A, 1985: Historic Bridges of Shropshire, Shrewsbury, p74).

Archaeology Service, Shropshire County Council 1 Report No. 223 March 2003 Gonsall Lane Bridge, Dorrington, Shropshire

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1: Gonsall Lane Bridge, looking east 2: Gonsall Lane Bridge, looking west 3: Gonsall Lane Bridge, looking northeast 4: Gonsall Lane Bridge, looking southwest 5: The western abutment, looking southwest 6: The western abutment, looking west from beneath the bridge

Archaeology Service, Shropshire County Council 2 Report No. 223 March 2003 Gonsall Lane Bridge, Dorrington, Shropshire

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7: View of the soffit (underside) of the bridge deck, looking west, showing the arrangement of the girders, beams, and buckle plates 8: Detail showing north girder, a cross beam, and the decking, from the underside 9 & 10: Name plate on the southern girder (Dyne Steel & Co, Engineers, Newport, Mon.)

Archaeology Service, Shropshire County Council 3 Report No. 223 March 2003