Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/05/008

Address :
Bridge Mourne Park Newry Road Kilkeel Newry Co Down

Townland:
Ballyrogan or Mourne Park

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
14/08/1981 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Bridge

Former Use
Bridge

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
Partially

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OS Map No:
284/2

IG Ref:
J2674 1540

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Owner Category

Commercial

Exterior Description And Setting

This bridge formerly carried the main Kilkeel - Newry road over the White Water River; it now lies within Mourne Park demesne, near its south-west corner. It comprises two arches of rounded rubble Silurian and granite fieldstones, with coarsely-dressed granite voussoirs. The left-bank arch, which is dry in normal circumstances, is narrower and lower than the right arch. The former has a segmental profile, whereas the latter is semicircular. There is an angled cutwater on both up- and downstream sides of the pier. These extend to the tops of the parapets where they form pedestrian refuges. The carriageway has a very pronounced hump-back. The left arch being lower, the road, which is only 3.8m wide, crests over the crown of the main arch, rather than over the pier. The parapets are 90cm high by 35cm thick. No vehicular access is now possible, a granite post having been inserted into the centre of the track at the east end (left bank) of the bridge. There is a pair of wrought and cast-iron gates at the other end. The structure is now overgrown with ivy, and the parapet tops are starting to deteriorate.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

The formalisation of the boundaries of Mourne Park in the early 1800s resulted in the rerouting of the main Newry road to the south of its former course. This necessitated the construction of a replacement bridge (HB16/05/064), this one becoming defunct as regards public usage. Judging by its style and associations with the original road line, it is almost certainly of 18th century date. It is shown within the estate on the 1834 OS 6” map. Primary sources: 1. PRONI – OS 6/3/55/1 (1844 OS map) (Down sheet 55). 2. Photograph in Green Collection (WAG 2685) at Ulster Folk and Transport Museum..

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

B. Proportion D. Plan Form F. Structural System J. Setting K. Group value

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

The bridge is an excellent example of a pre-l9th century road bridge, exemplified in its unequal arches, pronounced humped back, narrowness, fieldstone construction, and pedestrian refuges – all features which are now uncommon to most bridges. It has a dramatic setting over the cascading river. It also has group value when taken with the two road bridges immediately downstream from it in illustrating the evolution of bridge construction over the last two centuries.

General Comments

Date of Survey

23 July 1998