Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB26/50/078

Address :
Queen's Bridge Anne Street/ Bridge End Belfast Co Antrim

Townland:
Ballymacarret Town Parks

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
14/08/1986 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:
No

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OS Map No:
130-13, 130-14

IG Ref:
J3443 7436

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Owner Category

Exterior Description And Setting

A five-arch masonry bridge connecting Ann Street on the Co Antrim side of the River Lagan to Bridge End on the river’s Co Down side. The body of the bridge is constructed in finely dressed Newry granite throughout. The abutments are of dressed blocks laid to courses and have quarter-round quoins with deep moulded copings. The piers are of similar granite blockwork and continue outwards to form rounded cutwaters. A string course of rusticated blocks with tooled margins runs along the piers at spring level and around the tops of the cutwaters. Flanking the abutments are pilastered buttresses of vee-jointed blocks laid to regular courses and surmounted with ornate cornices. Similarly detailed wing walls curve outwards to finish in bracketed terminals to the footpath railings. The five arches are of identical size and are of segmental profile with vee-jointed voussoirs and masonry blockwork soffits. The spandrels, also vee-jointed and regularly coursed, are step jointed into the voussoirs. The cutwaters are surmounted by pairs of original partly-attached clustered columns which were subsequently used to support the cantilevered footpaths (see below); the cornices at the tops of the columns are detailed as those on the abutment pilasters. The navigable channel is the second from the Co Down side and is marked by a large arrow attached to the crown of its arch. The parapets comprise metal lattice girders with a wide metal handrail across their tops. The ends of these girders are supported on riveted metal beams cantilevered out from the tops of the abutment pilasters and cutwater columns. The handrails terminate at both ends in dressed granite piers which are an upward continuation of the terminal piers of the out-curving wing walls. Metal brackets are affixed to the base of the railing on its downstream outside face to carry pipes. Pipes encased in a metal conduit are also carried across the base of the upstream parapet. The line of the handrails is broken at regular intervals by hollow metal pedestals in line with the piers. The road faces of these pedestals are embellished with the Belfast Corporation’s coat of arms (but missing on three of the pedestals on the downstream side). Their outer faces have recessed panels reading “Widened/ 1885”. The pedestal’s chamfered tops also carry their maker’s name: “Gregg, Sons & Phenix/ Iron Founders/ Belfast”. Each pedestal is surmounted by an ornate cast-iron lamp standard. These were originally gas lit but are long electrified. Wrapped around the base of each column are four intertwined scaled fish and maker’s name “Geo. Smith & Co Sun Foundry Glasgow”. There are 16 standards in all, arranged as eight along each side (six over the piers, two over the abutments, and two at the wing wall terminal piers). There are also three tall electric lamps along each side. The downstream approach to the bridge at its Co Down end is bounded by a continuation of the parapet railing over a low squared rubble granite sidewall. The railing terminates in a pedestal identical to those on the bridge proper (but without a lamp standard). Let into this section of railing are two additional pedestals, also identical to those on the bridge. These do not support lamp standards but instead form piers for a wrought-iron gate which formerly gave access to steps (now removed) down to the former Queen’s Quay; this section of the quay is now cut off from the rest of it by the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. The upstream approach from the Co Down end is bounded by a plain regularly coursed granite block wall. Its terminal pier carries a rectangular bronze plaque commemorating the opening of the Laganside Walkway on 4 June 1992. A ramped footpath runs down to the walkway along the river’s edge. There is also a circular plaque at this end noting the bridge’s construction in 1841-43 as a replacement of the Long Bridge of 1688-1841. The upstream approach on the Co Antrim side also comprises a short length of granite walling but has been truncated to facilitate access to a paved area over what was originally Canal Quay. The approach wall on the downstream side of the Co Antrim end has been removed entirely to facilitate access to a walkway along the former Donegall Quay. At each end of the downstream side, a wide flight of stone steps leads down from the quayside walkways to the water’s edge. The flat deck carries four lanes of traffic and a footpath along each side. The pedestrian and vehicular traffic are separated by a modern single-bar tubular metal railing carried on cast-metal posts mounted on a dwarf concrete wall. Setting Bounded at both ends by walkways along former quays. Queen Elizabeth II Bridge is a short distance downstream. On the corner of the upstream approach on the Co Antrim side is a 19.5mm high stainless steel and bronze sculpture entitled ‘Harmony of Belfast’ (but also variously known as ‘Angel of Harmony’, ‘Nuala with the Hula’ and ‘Thing with the Ring’). It is by Scottish artist Andy Scott and was erected here in 2007. Walling: stone

Architects

Frazer. J & Son Bretland, J.C.

Historical Information

Prior to the 1840s, the Lagan was spanned at this point by the Long Bridge, the lowest crossing point on the river. Erected in the 1680s, it comprised 21 arches spanning 840ft in total. Including its long approach from Ballymacarrett on the Co Down side, it was almost a mile long (hence its name). However, it was too narrow (c.20ft wide) to carry the increasing volume of traffic and by 1830 it was considered unfit for purpose, the year in which its replacement was announced. It did, however, survive for some time thereafter as is captioned Long Bridge on the 1833 OS map. Charles Lanyon, County Surveyor for Antrim, in his report to the spring assizes of the Co Antrim Grand Jury in March 1838 expressed his regret that the proposed new bridge was to be located at the end of Ann Street rather than High St as the approach roads were too narrow. In the event, the bridge’s location remained as it was, on the line of the Long Bridge. In a report to the Antrim Jury’s summer assizes in July 1838, Lanyon noted that work could not start until the loan promised to the County Grand Juries by the Board of Works was forthcoming. Work finally commenced in 1840. The contract had been awarded by the Board of Works to Francis Ritchie & Son on the basis of their tendered price of £27,000. It was to comprise five arches, each of 50ft span and 10ft rise. As the bridge straddled counties Antrim and Down, its construction was to be supervised by the Charles Lanyon (in his capacity as Surveyor for Antrim) and John Fraser, Down County Surveyor, and was anticipated to take upwards of three years. By March 1841, the Long Bridge had been demolished and preparations made for the coffer dams for the foundations of the new bridge. However, even at this late stage, there appears to have been some debate regarding the bridge’s design and location. A proposal had been made to lessen the gradient up to the new bridge by making its central arch higher, resulting in a bridge with an ascending and descending deck. However, this was rejected in favour of the existing design which had a horizontal deck. By July 1842, one of the arches had been keyed in and the bridge’s completion was anticipated by the end of the year. In the event, it was not opened to traffic until January 1843 (slightly late, but on budget). It acquired its present name – Queen’s Bridge – to commemorate Queen Victoria’s visit to Belfast in summer 1849. It is cited as Queen’s Bridge on the 1858 OS map and subsequent editions. The bridge is ascribed in most publications to Messrs Lanyon and Fraser. However, in a letter to the Belfast Newsletter in March 1885, John Fraser, grandson and namesake of the Down Surveyor, claimed that Lanyon only came on the scene “when the bridge was in progress”. He goes on to note that his grandfather had been involved from the start and “has been represented all along to be the engineer for the present bridge”. This claim finds support in the fact that Lanyon could not effect any changes to the bridge’s location after he expressed his concerns in 1838; had he been involved from the start, he would surely not have been complaining. It is to Surveyor Fraser’s credit that he did not claim to be the bridge’s sole designer, even though his grandson said he was. In his report to the Down Grand Jury in July 1840, John Fraser noted that the bridge’s design was by him and Mr Woodhouse, “the experienced and talented Engineer”. The latter was, in fact, Thomas Jackson Woodhouse who was County Surveyor for Antrim from 1834 until 1836, when he moved back to England and Charles Lanyon replaced him (he is best known for Great Victoria Street Railway Station). Ironically, Lanyon resigned his post in 1842 to take up private practice, so was not privy to the bridge’s opening in 1843. By the early 1860s, the new bridge, like its predecessor, was failing to cope with the volume of traffic. Henry Smyth, Surveyor for Co Down, noted in a report to the Co Down assizes in 1862 that it had been proposed to widen the bridge from its present 30ft to 42ft with the addition of a 6ft footpath cantilevered out on both sides in metal. He suggested that it the road ought to be widened to 44ft; this was the width of the approaches (both of which had been widened in the 1840s works). He also proposed the addition of two 8ft wide footpaths, bringing its total width to 60ft. Finally, he advocated that the widening should be done in stone rather than metal, in order to match the existing structure. In the event, it was Josiah C. Bretland, Belfast Borough Surveyor from 1884 to 1903, who had the last word on the widening scheme (he also designed the present Albert Bridge which opened in 1890 - HB26/30/026). In 1885, the bridge was widened with cantilevered metal girders and its new lattice metal parapets (the previous ones were stone) were adorned with cast-iron lamp standards by the Sun Foundry, Glasgow. However, the footpaths were considerably wider than the 6ft ones originally proposed and the bridge’s overall width is now c.62ft. It is shown in its widened form on the 1902 OS map. In 1966, Queen’s Bridge was augmented with the Queen Elizabeth II bridge, a two-span steel structure a short distance downstream. This allowed the four vehicular lanes of the Queen’s Bridge to become one-way (in the direction of the city centre). Primary Sources: 1. Belfast News Letter, 8/10/1830. 2. PRONI OS/9/13/1/1, OS 1:1056 map of Belfast (1833). 3. Belfast News Letter, 11/8/1835. 4. Belfast News Letter, 16/31838. 5. Belfast News Letter, 21/8/1838. 6. Belfast News Letter, 26/5/1840. 7. Belfast News Letter, 21/7/1840. 8. Belfast News Letter, 7/8/1840. 9. Belfast News Letter, 9/2/1841. 10. Belfast News Letter, 12/7/1842. 11. Belfast News Letter, 7/3/1843. 12. PRONI OS/8/30/1/3 OS 1:1056 map, Belfast sheet 30 (1858). 13. Belfast News Letter, 17/7/1862 14. Belfast News Letter, 17/3/1885. 15. Irish Builder, vol.27, p.109 (1/4/1885). 16. Irish Builder, vol.27, p.262 (13/9/1885). 17. Northern Whig, 17/2/1887. 18. PRONI OS/8/30/5A/57, OS 1:1056 map, Belfast sheet 57 (1902). Secondary Sources: 1. J.B. Doyle, Tours in Ulster: a Hand-Book to the Antiquities and Scenery of the North of Ireland, pp 30-31 (Dublin: Hodges & Smith, 1854). 2. S.S. Millin, Additional Sidelights on Belfast History, pp 63-66 (Belfast: W & G Baird, 1938). 3. M. Patton. Central Belfast: a Historical Gazetteer, p.270 (Belfast: UAHS, 1993). 4. R.C. Cox & M.H. Gould, Civil Engineering Heritage: Ireland, pp 135-136 (London: Thomas Telford, 1998). 5. S.A. Royle, Portrait of an Industrial City: Changing Belfast, 1750-1914, pp 30-31 (Belfast: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2011).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form F. Structural System

Historic Interest

V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A five-arched road bridge of 1840-43 in Newry granite designed by John Fraser and Thomas Jackson as a replacement of the 17th century Long Bridge. Widened in wrought iron and cast-iron lamp standards added in 1885 by J.C. Bretland. This well-proportioned bridge exhibits a high standard of stone masonry. The later 19th century widening in wrought iron complements the original masonry structure. The ornate cast-iron lamp standards are a particularly notable feature of the widened bridge and are also of technical interest as they bear the maker’s names. The bridge is also of historic interest as the work of the County Surveyors for Antrim and Down – Thomas Jackson Woodhouse and John Fraser respectively. J.C. Bretland, Surveyor to Belfast Corporation, was responsible for the widened section. This is a fine example of the type and of the work of several notable designers and represents the ongoing development of transport infrastructure in the City from the late 17th century.

General Comments

Date of Survey

18 August 2012