Lennox Bridge, Parramatta, 1836-1839

Lennox Bridge, looking south down Church Street,
Parramatta Council Heritage Centre Collection

David Lennox was born in Ayr, Scotland, and was trained as a stonemason. He was experienced in bridge 

building under the famous engineer Thomas Telford having worked on a stone bridge across the Severn in 

Gloucester and the Menai suspension bridge in north-west Wales. After the death of his wife, he sought 

employment in the colony arriving as an unassisted migrant in 1832. His talents were soon recognised and he 

was appointed as Superintendent of Bridges; became the first skilled bridge builder on the mainland. Any 

doubts about his ability were dispelled after his design and construction of a horseshoe shaped bridge at 

Lapstone (1833) and the 110 feet clear span bridge at Lansdowne over Prospect Creek (1834-1836).[55]

Lennox prepared preliminary designs for the bridge at Parramatta for Surveyor General Thomas Mitchell 

to whom he was responsible. Ambrose Hallan, the recently appointed Colonial Architect, countered with 

a proposal for a prefabricated iron bridge be imported from England.[56]  Fortunately for Parramatta, 

Governor Bourke, finding Hallan's lack of ability as an architect intolerable, interceded and requested 

a plan for 'an ornate bridge'.[57]  Mitchell's assistant, Captain Perry, entered the fray with a plan shortening 

the arch from 90 feet to 60 feet. Lennox dismissed this plan claiming correctly that such a narrow spanned 

arch would restrict flood waters. Midst the inter-departmental controversy that existed apart from the 

bridge plans, Lennox simply went ahead, and adapted the timber centering used on the Lansdowne project, 

declaring that as he had done so, he did not intend to alter his design.

All opposition collapsed and in May 1836 when Bourke, whose patience had been taxed over the whole 

proceedings, approved the Lennox plans and the bridge work was commenced on 22 October 

1836.[58]  In July, Lennox applied for stonemasons and later arranged for the supply of lime and cartage 

of quarried stone. The governor laid the foundation stone on 23 November, 1836.[59]  Progress was 

slow because of labour problems but by September 1838 one side was open to limited traffic and it was 

completed in the following year at a final cost of £1,797.

The structure may be described as a sandstone bridge with a single semi elliptical arch of 90 feet in length 

and 30 feet wide. Even though the approaches show all the softly graded curves of his earlier bridges, 

Morton Herman described the main arch perhaps as 'coarse and heavy'.[60]  If not as elegant as 

some of his other designs, it was nonetheless a valuable and worthy addition to the Georgian architecture 

of the town. The bridge remained nameless until 1867 when a motion before the Parramatta District 

Council proposed that it be named after the current governor, Sir William Denison (1855-1861) but it 

lapsed. Alderman Birmingham then proposed the name Lennox Bridge and the motion was passed.

John McClymont , Parramatta Historian, 10/94

John McClymont's article written in 1994 also pointed out how the structure of the bridge had been altered 
over the years. As early as 1802 there was a stone bridge at this location on Church Street but by the 
early 1830s it was in an 'insecure state', and around 1833 Lennox started planning to replace it with the 
what is now known as the 'Lennox Bridge'. In 1885-86 the Department of Public Works removed 
the wall on the upstream side of the bridge to widen it, and put up the present railing at the same 
time.  In 1912 it was widened for a tramway [to Castle Hill] and in 1930 the Sydney Morning Herald 
reported that there was a proposal to demolish the bridge. 

This 1930 article also mentions how the passage of time had worn away the words "Lennox Bridge" on the
 inside of the parapet wall on the downstream side of the bridge.

Compiled by Geoff Barker, Coordinator Research and Collection Services, Parramatta heritage Centre, 2013

References

H. Selkirk, 'David Lennox, the bridge builder and his work' in JRAHS, Vol 6, p. 203-4;

M. Herman, Early Australian Architects, pp. 116-17, 158-61; J.Jervis, Cradle City , p. 116.

Sir Thomas Mitchell papers, 5 May 1833, pp. 186-87, ML A292. Perhaps this proposal was 

made because of the success of the first Iron Bridge in England.

H. Selkirk, 'David Lennox', JRAHS, p. 211.

J. Jervis, Cradle City, p. 117.

M. Herman, Early Australian Architects, p. 165.

Parramatta Advertiser, weekly issues between Jan and Jun 1990.
Sydney Morning Herald, May 31 1930.

Lennox Bridge - Time Line
1790: July - Town of Rose Hill (later Parramatta) marked

1794: First (wooden) bridge over the river at Parramatta Constructed

1795: Wooden Bridge swept away by floodwater

1796: Second Bridge constructed of timber girders on stone piers erected on site of existing bridge.

1802: Two stone bridge piers replaced by timber trestles

1826: Second Bridge sustained further damage but repaired

1832: August 11 - David Lennox arrives in Sydney

1832: October - David Lennox appointed Sub-Inspector of Roads

1833: June – David Lennox appointed Superintendent of Bridges

1833: Lennox reported on deteriorating Condition of second bridge at Parramatta, submitting plans for a replacement structure

1835: July - Second Bridge reported to be in a very insecure state

1836: October 22 - Lennox announced that construction of a new stone bridge to be built alongside the old one would commence in about a fortnight

1836: November 23 - Foundation stone of a new bridge laid by Governor Bourke

1838: March - Bridge only half complete

1838: September - A section of the new bridge was first opened to traffic

1839: Stone arch bridge finally completed at a cost of 1797 pounds

1867: Bridge officially named "Lennox Bridge" by Parramatta Council in honour of its designer

1873: November - David Lennox died and was buried in Parramatta

1885: November - Plans were prepared for the construction of cantilevered foot way on either side of the bridge

1895: February - widening of bridge from 30 feet to 52 feet

1901 – 1902: Width of 10 feet of the stone arch was strengthened internally for the purposes of carrying the Parramatta-Castle Hill Tramway.

1902: August 18 - Tramway opened for traffic

1912: Parapet on the western side was removed and a continuous foot way 5'3" wide was added to the bridge

1932: Tramway Bridge was closed

1934 – 1935: Bridge was widened.

1976: Lennox Bridge classified by National Trust of Australia (NSW)

1989: December - Lennox Bridge entered on Australian Heritage Commission’s register

1990: February 21 - Lennox Bridge declared a “National Work” under Local Government Act

Compiled by Neera Sahni, Research Services Leader, Parramatta Heritage Centre 2013

References:

1. Submission to save Lennox Bridge by the Parramatta & District Historical Society (1990)

2. Terry Kass et al, Parramatta, A Past Revealed, Parramatta City Council, 1996

3. Photo from  Local Studies and Family History Library, Parramatta Heritage and Visitor         Information Centre.

4. Lennox Bridge, Vertical File, Local Studies and Family History Library, Parramatta Heritage and Visitor Information Centre.