Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB03/18/020

Address :
Coleraine Bridge Bridge Street Coleraine Co Londonderry BT52

Townland:
Coleraine and Suburbs/ Killowen

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Survey 2:
A

Date of Listing:
31/03/1987 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:
13-13NW

IG Ref:
C8456 3241

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Also known as Bann Bridge, this triple span masonry bridge carries the main road over the River Bann. Except for its soffit, it is of ashlar granite imported from Scotland. Advanced abutments and piers with curved and domed cutwaters rising to spring level at both ends. A Rivers Agency sign is affixed to each of the downstream piers; they were responsible for the Navigation before Waterways Ireland; Three equi-sized shallow segmental arches with vee-jointed voussoirs and soffits; the lighter colour of the soffits suggest that they may be of sandstone. The middle span is the navigable one, with arrow signs pointing thereto on both faces; its air draft is 1.5m at high tide and 4.2m at low tide. Mounded string courses run through the arches at spring level and around the tops of the piers. The parapets are slightly advanced above each pier and end in out-projecting terminal piers. A moulded string course runs along the base of each parapet. Raised and fielded rectangular panels on the parapets' outside faces directly above each arch crown, all blank except for middle arch. Downstream panel reads 'Designed by Stewart Gordon C.E.' and the upstream one 'Erected by the County 1844'. There are four cast-iron lamp standards (electrified) along each parapet, directly above the abutments and piers (no maker’s name). The deck carries two lines of traffic and two footpaths over the river. There are no evident traces of the demolition chamber which held explosives in case of enemy attack during the Second World War. Setting At the SE and SW ends of the bridge are small public parks. Just NW of the bridge is a modern mooring pontoon belonging to Coleraine Harbour Commissioners, and also the Clothworker’s Building (HB03/16/001A). At NE is a car park belonging to Dunnes Stores; this was formerly part of Coleraine Harbour but has since been totally relandscaped. Immediately downstream is the Millennium Footbridge. The NE approach wall to the road bridge was removed to facilitate access to the E end of the footbridge. Schedule: Ashlar granite throughout Sandstone soffits

Architects

Gordon, Stewart

Historical Information

The first bridge at this location dates from 1248 and was built by John de Courcy in the shadow of Coleraine Castle. It was destroyed and rebuilt at least once. Raven’s map of 1620 depicts a timber bridge. A replacement of 1716 collapsed in 1739. With funding from the Irish Society, a more substantial replacement was erected in around 1743; it is shown on Taylor & Skinner’s 1783 map. It is cited as Coleraine Bridge on the 1830 OS map. According to the 1835 Ordnance Survey Memoir, it comprised six horizontal timber spans over masonry piers and abutments. Four foot wide cantilevered footpaths were added along both sides in 1806. The mid-18th century bridge was replaced in 1844 by the present one at a cost of £14,650 met by the Co Londonderry Grand Jury. It was designed by Stewart Gordon, County Surveyor (1834-60) for Co Londonderry and erected by John Lynn, a Coleraine-based contractor. Its construction also entailed raising the levels of the approach roads at each end. Although uncaptioned on the 1850 OS map, it is captioned as Coleraine Bridge on the 1904 edition and subsequent maps. During World War 2, a prepared demolition chamber was inserted for explosives so that the bridge could be blown up in the event of an enemy invasion. Until the opening of Sandelford Bridge (further upstream) in 1975, this was the only crossing over the river in the Coleraine area. The Millennium Footbridge was opened just downstream in 2001. Until 2002, Coleraine Bridge was the dividing line between the remits of Waterways Ireland (upstream) and the Coleraine Harbour Commissions (downstream). The latter’s remit now extends only as far up as the new footbridge, but the 10m stretch of river between the road and footbridge appears to be no-one’s responsibility. References - Primary sources: 1. G. Taylor & A. Skinner, Maps of the Roads of Ireland, p.19 (Dublin, 1783). 2. PRONI OS/6/5/7/1, First edition OS six-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 7 (1830). 3. OS Memoir for Coleraine Parish (1835). Reprinted as A. Day & P. McWilliams (eds), Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of County Londonderry XII, 1829-36, Coleraine and Mouth of the Bann, p.58 (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1995). 4. S. Lewis, Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, vol.1, p.386 (Dublin, 1837). 5. PRONI OS/6/5/7/2, Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 7 (1850). 6. PRONI OS/8/6/2/3, Large scale town map (1904). 7. PRONI OS/10/5/7/7/2, OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 7-07 (1922). References - Secondary sources: 1. Coleraine Town Council, Coleraine Official Guide, p.18 (Coleraine, 1929). 2. Rev T.H. Mullin, Coleraine in Bygone Centuries, p.107 (Belfast: Century Services, 1976). 3. Rev T.H. Mullin, Coleraine in Georgian Times, p.186 (Belfast: Century Services, 1977). 4. W.A. McCutcheon, The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland, plate 10.1 (Belfast: HMSO, 1980). 5. M. Barry, Across Deep Waters, p.116 (Dublin: Frankfort Press, 1985). 6. P. O’Keefe & T. Simington, Irish Stone Bridges: History and Heritage, p.30 (Blackrock: Irish Academic Press, 1991). 7. J. Cunningham, 'Coleraine's Bridges', in Bann Disc, vol.5 (1999), p.1.

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

A. Style B. Proportion C. Ornamentation D. Plan Form F. Structural System H-. Alterations detracting from building J. Setting

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity T. Historic Importance V. Authorship W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

A triple-arch masonry road bridge over the Bann at Coleraine, opened in 1844. It is of architectural value for its proportions, materials, embellishment, and high standard of execution (down to the dressed stone soffits). Indeed, W.A. McCutcheon considers it to be one of the finest bridges in Ulster. It also adds considerable interest to the riverscape hereabouts. It is of historical interest in having an attested designer and date, and also in being the latest in a succession of bridges across the river at this point.

General Comments

Listing Criteria R - Age; S - Authenticity and T - Historic Importance also apply.

Date of Survey

29 April 2013