Hewell Grange: Footbridge across to island

Summary

A cast iron bridge of c.1820, built following Humphry Repton's proposals for Hewell Grange.

Reasons for Designation

The Footbridge across to the Island at Hewell Grange, dating from c.1820, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architecture: the bridge is a small yet elegant structure, with its delicate iron railings and simple structure forming a pleasing design;
* Historic interest: the bridge was built as part of a range of improvements taking place in the park at the time, following recommendations from Humphry Repton;
* Group value: it has good group value with the Grade II* Registered Historic Park and Garden and the Grade II listed Ruins of the Old Hewell Grange, with which it is intervisible.

History

Upon the death of the 5th Earl of Plymouth in 1799, the estate at Hewell Grange passed to his son, Other Archer, who came of age in 1810. The estate at that time had at its centre a house built c.1712, incorporating parts of an earlier house, and said to have been designed by Francis Smith of Warwick. The house sat in a park which had evolved over the course of the C18, with advice from the landscape architect William Shenstone in the 1850s and Lancelot 'Capability' Brown in the 1860s.

Following his inheritance, the 6th Earl consulted Humphry Repton on improvements to the park at Hewell, and in 1812 Repton produced a red book for the estate. Repton proposed a stone bridge to the island, but this bridge was constructed instead, likely as a cheaper alternative. In 1815, the Earl chose Thomas Cundy as his architect for much of the work taking place at Hewell at this time, and improvements continued until the Earl's death in 1833, including some remodelling of the house itself.

The majority of the park at Hewell was sold to the prison service in the 1940s, and the bridge gradually decayed throughout the remainder of the C20. The bridge probably lost its central gates in the C19; it is shown without them in a photograph of 1905. The bridge was restored c.2010.

Details

A cast iron bridge of c.1820, built following Humphry Repton's proposals for Hewell Grange.

MATERIALS AND PLAN
The bridge is constructed of cast iron and is orientated north-east to south-west.

DESCRIPTION
The bridge crosses a small section of water from the lawns adjacent to the early C18 house at Hewell Grange, giving access to the small island in the lake.

It is a single span structure with two parapets on each side which consist of slender iron railings. There are thicker posts at each end with ball finials, and paired posts at the centre of the bridge, where there would originally have been gates, these now lost, although the bases for the stanchions remain.

Sources

Other
Hewell Grange Historic Landscape Appraisal (Parklands Consortium Limited, 2001)

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