One of Australia's first bridges found within Parramatta's historic Lennox Bridge

One of Australia's first bridges found within Parramatta's historic Lennox Bridge

Archaeologist overseeing construction work on Parramatta's historic Lennox Bridge were pleasantly surprised to find an even earlier - and no less historic - bridge lurking inside, writes Melanie Kembrey.

Archaeologists discover a pier of the Gaol Bridge, inside the Lennox Bridge. Photo: Parramatta Council

One of Australia's first bridges has been found - buried inside another bridge.
Archaeologists were amazed to uncover a pier of the bridge, built between 1802 and 1804, while overseeing construction work on Parramatta's historic Lennox Bridge.
There are few surviving references to the Gaol Bridge, as it was then known, and there was no evidence that remains of it still existed.

Lithograph of the Gaol Bridge in Parramatta in 1826. The horses are standing behind where the Riverside Theatre now is.The bridge was built on stone piers with timber railings. Photo: State Library of NSW

Historian Terry Kass said the Gaol Bridge has great historical significance as the first major crossing of the Parramatta River and it reveals how the fledgling British colony expanded north-west. 
"This is a very rare find - it's one of the very earliest bridges built," Dr Kass said.
"The thing about the bridge is that it really rejigged what Parramatta was. It was a major bridge in what was the second town in the colony."

G.W. Evans 1809 painting shows the Gaol Bridge in Parramatta. To the left, on the hill, is Old Government House and on the far right is the prison in Prince Alfred Park. Photo: State Library of NSW

The discovery of the sandstone pier and timber girders was made as controversial tunnels were being bored through the sides of the state heritage-listed Lennox Bridge, built between 1836 and 1839.
Heritage advocates had passionately fought against the tunnels, which will allow a continous walkway along the river foreshore, arguing that it would destroy one of the oldest and rarest bridges in Australia. 
David Lennox, the colony's first superintendent of bridges, had been commissioned to build a bigger and stronger bridge to replace the failing Gaol Bridge. 

Graphic showing where Lennox Bridge intersected with the pier of the Gaol Bridge over the Parramatta River. Photo: Hill Thalis Architecture + Urban Projects

Archaeologist Anne Bickford said Lennox had decided to leave parts of the Gaol Bridge within his bridge rather than go to the trouble of removing them. 
"We were totally surprised. We knew the Gaol Bridge had been there once, but we didn't know if there were any remains of it. It hadn't been seen since Lennox's bridge was completed 175 years ago. Lennox's plans and drawings of building his bridge haven't survived," Ms Bickford said.
The notable stonemason Isaac Payten is believed to have built the Gaol Bridge, so-called because it led to a newly constructed prison near where the Riverside Theatres is today.

The Gaol Bridge pier has been scientifically conserved and will remain buried under the portal floor. Photo: Anne Bickford AAH. (Archaeology And Heritage Pty Ltd)

The bridge became the main crossing to towns north of Parramatta, opening up the path to Windsor and Richmond. 
A small section of the bridge's pier was removed, the rest has been scientifically conserved and reburied under the floor of the new tunnel. The timber girdings have been cleaned and catalogued and are expected to be put on public display.
"We've preserved the pier so that in 500 years, when someone else has decided they want to change the bridge, they will dig it up and they'll find that the Gaol Bridge still remains. We want to leave as much as possible for future generations," Ms Bickford said.

An artist's impression of the portals in the Lennox Bridge. Construction is due to be complete in April. Photo: Parramatta Council

The pier could extend much deeper into ground and there could be more remains of the bridge buried, but the excavation only extended to the project's requirements. 
But it was not just the Old Gaol bridge that was revealed during the tunnels' construction. 
The Lennox Bridge's original sandstone wall, which was buried in 1935 when the bridge was almost doubled in size to cope with greater traffic, was found.
A temporary sandstone wall, which had allowed Lennox to construct his bridge in two halves and keep the river crossing open, was also uncovered.
The project's architect, Philip Thalis said the bridge was an ongoing record of how things had changed in Parramatta. 
"The portals were like a passage through the history of the bridge, but what we found was a lot more history than anyone could have ever expected," Mr Thalis said.
The building of the tunnels has been delayed by the archaeological digs. The northern portal is expected to open late this month, and the entire project should be complete in April.
Parramatta lord mayor Scott Lloyd said changes to the bridge, like those made in the past, would allow for easier crossing of the river.
A history of crossing the Parramatta River:
1802-1804: Stone mason Isaac Payten built what was then known as the Gaol Bridge, the first major crossing of the Parramatta River.
1836-1839: David Lennox was commissioned to build a bigger, higher and stronger bridge over the Parramatta River to replace the failing Gaol Bridge. Lennox buried the sandstone pier and timber girders from the Gaol Bridge in his own bridge rather than go to the trouble of removing them.
1901-1902:  The Lennox Bridge was strengthened so it could cope with the Parramatta-Castle Hill tramway.
1935:  The bridge was widened to deal with increased traffic. 
2011: Parramatta Council proposed to construct portals through the state heritage-listed Lennox Bridge to allow for a continous walkway along the river foreshore. Heritage advocates rallied against the move, saying it would require the partial demolition of one the oldest and rarest bridges in Australia.
2014: Construction work on the Lennox Bridge portals started. The full project is expected to be complete in April.

fonte: @EDISONMARIOTTI #EDISONMARIOTTI http://www.smh.com.au/nsw/one-of-australias-first-bridges-found-within-parramattas-historic-lennox-bridge-20141206-11zwov.html?eid=socialn%3Atwi-13omn1677-edtrl-other%3Annn-17%2F02%2F2014-edtrs_socialshare-all-nnn-nnn-vars-o%26sa%3DD%26usg%3DALhdy28zsr6qiq