Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB17/15/027

Address :
Dromore Viaduct off Church Street Dromore Co Down BT25

Townland:
Ballymaganlis Quilly

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Survey 2:
B+

Date of Listing:
25/10/1977 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Viaduct

Former Use
Viaduct

Conservation Area:
No

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
202/3

IG Ref:
J1946 5323

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Owner Category

Local Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Dromore Viaduct is a seven-arched stone and brick railway bridge over the River Lagan just west of Dromore. The third and fourth arches from its NE end are carried over a riverside footpath, opened by Banbridge District Council in 2009. The fifth arch from that end spans the actual river. The abutments and piers are of rock-faced blackstone blocks embellished with rusticated and margined quoins. The blocks are generally brought to courses, but laid to regular courses on some of the piers, all of which are slightly tapered inwards from bottom to top. The piers either side of the river arch have curvilinear dressed granite cutwaters at both ends. Towards the tops of the piers, just below arch spring level, are projecting stones which formerly supported the timber falsework used in turning the arches. The arches are all identical, being of semicircular profile and comprising six header courses of brick apiece in their arch rings and soffits. The spandrels and parapets are of random rubble blackstone. The parapets are coped with large rock-faced sandstone blocks, chamfered and oversailing to the outside. The terminal piers at both ends are similarly detailed. The slightly curving deck formerly carried a single track railway line, long lifted and tarmaced over. High steel fences at both ends now prohibit entry to the deck. Setting The embankment has been lowered at the SW end of the bridge, but a short length survives as far as Church Road at NE. There are remnants of concrete mountings of erstwhile floodlights embedded in the ground immediately west side of the bridge. Much of the bridge is now smothered by ivy. The bridge runs to the east of and parellel with the A1 dual carriageway.

Architects

Thomas Jackson

Historical Information

This viaduct lies on the Knockmore Junction – Banbridge section of the Lisburn - Castlewellan line. This section was opened by the Banbridge, Lisburn & Belfast Railway (BLBR) in July 1863. This particular structure was constructed by Messrs Greene & King for the railway company. Thomas Jackson, the BLBR’s consultant engineer, designed stations at Hillsborough, Dromore and Banbridge, and was probably also responsible for this bridge. Upon opening, the line was worked by the Ulster Railway Co, before being amalgamated into the Great Northern Railway (Ireland) in 1876. Although this section of line is shown on some 1857 OS six-inch maps, these are actually later (undated) revisions of the original plate. It is correctly shown on all OS maps from 1903 onwards. The line eventually reached Castlewellan in 1906 under the auspices of the GNR(I) and was linked to Newcastle by the Belfast & Co Down Railway in the same year. The Banbridge – Castlewellan section was closed in 1955, and the remainder of the line in 1956. The viaduct is now owned and maintained by Banbridge District Council. References Primary sources: 1. PRONI, D3106/2: Report presented at 6th half-yearly meeting of Banbridge, Lisburn & Belfast Railway Co, 23 Aug 1861. 2. PRONI, D3106/2: Report by M. Blakinston to 8th half-yearly meeting of Banbridge, Lisburn & Belfast Railway Co, 2 Aug 1862. 3. PRONI OS/6/3/20/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 22 (1903). References - Secondary sources: 1. W.A. McCutcheon, Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland, p.161 (Belfast: HMSO, 1980). 2. S. Johnson, Johnson’s Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland, p.101 (Leicester: Midland Publishing, 1977).

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form E. Spatial Organisation F. Structural System J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity U. Historic Associations Z. Rarity V. Authorship X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Dromore Viaduct is a seven-arched stone and brick railway bridge of c.1862 over the River Lagan. Stone predominates in its construction but with arches of brick, a combination of materials typical of railway bridges of this period. Although relatively plain, the differing surface treatments and coursing of the stonework is of interest. Its setting survives to a great extent, the railway being carried high over the Lagan at this point, although compromised by works associated with the dual carriageway. The bridge is also of historical interest because of its association with the Lisburn – Banbridge railway, being its most striking feature. This is intact, finely detailed example of a Victorian railway bridge in a fine setting and one of few in the Province.

General Comments

New listing criteria R, S & U to be added when available. NO'R 11.10.13

Date of Survey

08 February 2012