Carrickhugh Harbour

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A small manmade harbour immediately to the south west of Carrickhugh Railway Bridge. Still maintained. Dredged clay and material is thrown up onto the steep banks which are about four metres higher than water level. At water level, a system of timber posts with joists between, acts as a retaining wall. At the south western end the inlet is stopped by a block wall under the path from Carrickhugh Station (HB02/02/008) to the Carrickhugh Mills (HB02/02/005 & 006).

Historical information

A ‘Boat Harbour' is indicated to the south of the wooden Carrickhugh Railway Bridge on the 1848 Ordnance Survey Map. This is a widened section of the Carrickhugh River at its base still discernible today. The 1923 Ordnance Survey Map shows the present harbour at an angle to the river though it is not labelled. Presently a floating bulldozer machine is parked at a slip way at the junction of harbour and river. It uses the harbour as a base for maintenance of the embankments to the north side of the bridge. Formerly the harbour was used as a base for boats collecting shells and seaweed for fertilisers. The importance of this is reflected in the productive economy tables of the 1835 Ordnance Survey Memoirs. Distance of access to shells and lime is listed for each townland. For Tullymain: ‘manures: lime 3 miles, shells three quarters of a mile’.

Industrial Archaeology Record Ref: 1339;56
Ordnance Survey Memoirs Vol. 36.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Of interest historically and as a piece of industrial archaeology. Maintenance has reduced the historical appearance of the inlet, but the construction of the retaining wall may be of note.