Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB16/04/010

Address :
White Water Bridge Benagh Rd Kilkeel Newry Co Down BT34

Townland:
Lurganreagh / Lurganconary

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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:
No

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OS Map No:
284/10

IG Ref:
J2660 1205

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

This bridge carries a minor road from Mill Bay to Cranfield over the White Water River. It comprises three equally sized segmental arches. The abutments, piers and voussoirs are of finely dressed granite, and the soffits and spandrels of roughly squared and coursed granite blocks. There is a projecting platband just above arch crown level. The parapet is of granite and Silurian rubble, brought to courses, with chamfered granite copings. There are angled cutwaters on both up- and downstream sides. These rise to arch spring level and are of ashlar granite. There is a small rectangular niche in the middle of the outside face of the upstream parapet; this may have been intended for a datestone, of which there is now no trace. The bed of the river is pitched.

Architects

Not Known

Historical Information

A wooden bridge is shown just upstream on the 1834 OS 6” map. ‘White Water Bridge’ is captioned from the 1859 map onwards and there is no evidence to suppose that it is other than the present structure. It is therefore of mid 19th century date. Primary Sources: 1. PRONI – OS 6/3/57/1 (1834 map) - Down sheet 57. 2. PRONI - OS 6/3/57/2 (1859 map) - Down sheet 57.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form F. Structural System J. Setting

Historic Interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A good example of a utilitarian mid-19th century bridge with the minimum of embellishment. It is also an interesting contrast to the earlier Lower White Water Bridge further upstream (HB16/04/034).

General Comments

Date of Survey

02 October 1998