CORK COUNTY COUNCIL HERITAGE ASSET SURVEY Glanworth Bridge

​Located at Glanworth, Co. Cork, 6km northwest of Fermoy and 10km south-southwest of Mitchelstown, Glaworth Bridge crosses the River Funshion on the eastern outskirts of the town, 150m from the Main St and in the shadow of Glanworth Castle. It lies between the R639 at Monadrishane and the R512 at Glanworth. The bridge is a Hump-backed road bridge measuring c. 3.75m in width, constructed in random-rubble limestone with piers built on rock outcrops in river's bed. It comprises thirteen semi-circular arches, generally increasing in width and size towards the centre. The structure has rough limestone voussoirs and low pointed cutwaters on the upstream side only. 

​The span of the arches range from 4.2m-5.5m, and the width of piers from 1.5m-2.4m. There is also a random-rubble parapet wall with the remains of vertical stone coping. The bridge is traditionally dated to 1446. This bridge is atypical of pre-15th century multi-span bridges in Ireland which commonly have pointed segmental arches and level roadways.

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​Glanworth Bridge forms part of the core of a High and Late Medieval Landscape. Nearby Glanworth Castle was originally built in 13th century by the de Cauntetons or Condons but passed to the Roche family by the 14th century and remained Roche property until the Cromwellian confiscations. The nearby Abbey to the north-west was founded by the Roches for Dominican Friars by 1475.

​Glanworth Bridge is in an excellent state of preservation and has been recorded by some as ‘the oldest and narrowest working bridge in Europe’. It is clear that this area has been a long established fording point and communication node in the region.