Toneduff Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-span road bridge of late 18th or early 19th century date carrying the Kilcatten Road over a small gorge cut by the River Faughan between Claudy and Dunamanagh.

The bridge is of random rubble construction throughout and founded on bedrock. There are angled cutwaters at both ends of its two piers, rising to arch spring level. The round arches are of equal size, with split stone voussoirs. There are also projecting stones at arch spring level which supported the timber falsework during the arches’ construction. There are metal tie rods through all the spandrels. The two parapets differ slightly in their construction. The upstream (S) one is of split stone rubble coped with larger slabs laid on end over which a much later layer of small split stone rubble has been added to raise its height. The downstream (N) parapet is also of rubble, but is coped with large roughly-dressed blocks. Several later drain holes have been inserted through the base of the parapets.
The S wall of the approach road from E has been buttressed with rubble stone. On the bridge’s upstream side, a short length of the E bank has also been faced with rubble stonework.

Setting:
The bridge is in a rural
setting, on an east-west axis on Kilcatten Road between Claudy and Dunamanagh, approximately 2.4km due west of Claudy, and crosses the River Faughan flowing in a northerly direction.

Materials:
Random rubble walling with raised parapets of split stone rubble (S) and dressed stone (N)

Historical information

The bridge is shown on the first edition OS map of 1832, and is captioned, 'Toneduff Bridge' on the 1852 map and subsequent editions. It is described in the 1832 Ordnance Survey Memoir as “Tonnduff Bridge. It rests upon three high well-built arches and forms a picturesque and beautiful feature of the scenery”. It is probably of late 18th or early 19th century date.

References – Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/5/29/1. OS 6-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 29 (1832).
2. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Cumber Parish (1832). Reprinted as Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland: Parishes of Co Londonderry IX, p.9 (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1995).
3. PRONI OS/6/5/29/2. OS 6-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 29 (1848-52).
4. PRONI OS/10/5/29/1/1. OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 29-01 (1905).
5. PRONI OS/10/5/29/1/2. OS 25-inch map, Co Londonderry sheet 29-01 (1925).
6. PRONI OS/11/49/11/1. OS IG 1:2500 map sheet 49-11 (1970).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
R. Age
S. Authenticity

Evaluation

A three-span road bridge of late 18th or early 19th century date carrying the Kilcatten Road over a small gorge cut by the River Faughan in a rural setting between Claudy and Dunamanagh. This random rubble stone bridge is a robust example of late 18th / early 19th century engineering work, demonstrating simplicity in construction and detail. The cutwaters and projecting stones at arch spring level add to its interest. Its survival relatively unaltered is of note and it is a fine example of the type. Historically, it represents the development of the road network in the county.