Restoration of the 1824 Wissekerke Iron Suspension Footbridge: Construction Details Revealed

The wrought iron suspension footbridge, built in 1824 at the Wissekerke Castle in Kruibeke (Belgium) is the oldest surviving chain footbridge in continental Europe. As the footbridge shifted from private to public use, the condition of the footbridge was surveyed and assessed. During restoration wor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:International journal of architectural heritage 2015-10, Vol.9 (7), p.745-759
Main Authors: Wouters, Ine, de Bouw, Michael, Verdonck, Ann
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Assembly
assembly marks and production stamps
Castles
Construction
eye-rod
foundation
Iron
Joints
Pedestrian bridges
Restoration
suspension bridge
Wrought iron
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Summary:The wrought iron suspension footbridge, built in 1824 at the Wissekerke Castle in Kruibeke (Belgium) is the oldest surviving chain footbridge in continental Europe. As the footbridge shifted from private to public use, the condition of the footbridge was surveyed and assessed. During restoration works, which started in the winter of 2011, new construction details were revealed. The original foundation was excavated giving insight into the applied-anchorage system of the suspension cable. The iron bridge was blast-cleaned, revealing not only its connections, but uncovering assembly and production stamps. These new findings not only broaden the insight in the construction of the 1824 Wissekerke footbridge, they also contribute to the overall knowledge of early construction in wrought iron.
ISSN:1558-3058
1558-3066
DOI:10.1080/15583058.2013.850555