Historic Building Details

HB Ref No:
HB17/15/017

Address :
Downshire Bridge Bridge Street Dromore Co Down BT25

Townland:
Ballymaganlis Drumbroneth

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Survey 2:
B2

Date of Listing:
26/10/1995 00:00:00

Date of De-listing:

Current Use:
Bridge

Former Use
Bridge

Conservation Area:
Yes

Industrial Archaeology:
Yes

Vernacular:
No

Thatched:
No

Monument:
No

Derelict:
No

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OS Map No:
202/4

IG Ref:
J2017 5328

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Owner Category

Central Govt

Exterior Description And Setting

Downshire Bridge is a two-arch masonry and brick road bridge over the River Lagan just south of the Market Square at Dromore. Its abutments and pier are of regularly coursed dressed granite blocks. The north (right-bank) abutment has been encased in mass concrete. There is a curvilinear pointed cutwater at each end of the pier, rising to arch spring level; each comprises dressed granite blocks dressed to a curve, laid to regular courses and surmounted by a granite cap. The two arches are of segmental profile and identical size. Their voussoirs are of finely-dressed granite blocks, but the soffits are of brick. The spandrels and parapets are of rock-faced and margined granite blocks. A dressed granite string course runs across the top of the arch crown, directly under the parapet. The latter are coped with oversailing, finely-dressed and chamfered granite blocks. An electricity cable is carried across the downstream (W) parapet face in a small pipe secured to the top of the string course. Set into the middle of the road face of the downstream parapet is a polished granite slab reading “Downshire/ Bridge/ 1885”. There is a terminal pier at the south end of each parapet, of regularly-laid, finely-dressed granite blocks with oversailing chamfered copings. The edge of the coping stone on the SW pier carries the inscription “W.J. Doloughan Contractor”. There are no such piers at the north end of the bridge, here occupied by buildings. The terminal pier at SE appears to have carried a lamp standard, now removed; only its fixing holes survive. The SE pier may have been relocated towards the middle of the parapet when the footpath at this end of the bridge was widened. Here the footpath is carried along part of the outside face of the bridge on a brick quarter-arch. This necessitated shortening the parapet to accommodate the widened footpath and repositioning its terminal pier where the footpath ended. Mounted on the building at the NW end of the bridge is a small interpretative plaque detailing the bridge’s history. There is some minor overgrowth on the upstream face of the bridge. Setting On one of the main streets in the town with various buildings to north and south.

Architects

William J McKeown

Historical Information

The first bridge over the Lagan at Dromore was erected at this crossing point in the 1730s by the Banbridge - Belfast Turnpike Trust. It is shown on the 1833 OS map. The 1837 Ordnance Survey Memoir describes it thus: “[This] bridge has no name. It is situated 80 yards east of Regent Bridge. It consists of two arches and is built with whinstone and granite. It is 40ft long and 18ft broad and it is apparently very old”. Regent Bridge (HB17/15/021) was erected in 1811 and superseded Downshire Bridge as the principal crossing point on the Dublin road. The present Downshire Bridge is a replacement of 1885 and is named after the Marquis of Downshire, the local landowner. It was built by W.J. Doloughan and may have been designed by William J. McKeown, architect of Gilford Masonic Hall (1888). It is captioned ‘Downshire Bridge’ on the 1903 OS map and subsequent editions. This map also shows the widened footpath. Its widening thus took place in the 18 years since the bridge’s construction, if not at the same time (in which case the SE parapet pier would be in its original position). References Primary sources 1. PRONI OS/6/3/21/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 21 (1833). 2. OS Memoir for Dromore Parish (1837). Reprinted as A. Day & P. McWilliams (eds), Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of County Down III, 1833-8, Mid-Down, p.75 (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1992). 3. Construction date (1885) on parapet plaque. 4. PRONI OS/8/10/2A/3. Dromore town map (1903). Secondary sources 1. W.A. McCutcheon, ‘Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland’, p.9 (Belfast: HMSO, 1980). 2, G. Turnbull, ‘Bridges in Dromore’, in Journal of Dromore & District Local Historical Group, vol.4, p.42 (1994). 3. Irish Architectural Archive: Dictionary of Irish Architects. .

Criteria for Listing

Architectural Interest

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

Historic Interest

R. Age S. Authenticity X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Downshire Bridge is a two-arch masonry and brick road bridge of 1885 over the River Lagan. Despite its comparatively small size, the bridge exhibits a very high standard of workmanship, as evidenced in its contrasting materials, surface finishes and various embellishments. Although predominately of stone, the use of brick in its arches is also of note. The bridge is of local historical interest because of the importance of this crossing point over the River Lagan, and for its attested date.

General Comments

New listing criteria R and S to be added when available. NO'R 03.10.2013

Date of Survey

08 February 2012