Carnanbane Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A two arch stone bridge carrying the Carnanbane Road over the Owenrigh River. A rubble sandstone built bridge with 2 segmental arches with regular cut voissoirs with keystone. Arches spring from low support walls with projecting plain stone band carried round curved breakwaters of central support. The side support walls are carried downstream as revetments to river bank. The arches span 7½ metres each. The carriageway is 6 metres between parapet walls which are 35 metres long and terminate in piers at each end. A flat string course just above the arch keystone joins the piers upstream and downstream. The deep coping stones to the parapet walls are flat and slightly over scaled, with pyramidal capping to terminal piers. The soffits of the arches are rubble and there are 2no. tie rods to each arch.

The bridge makes a straight span over the river which is pleasantly tree lined and a serene approach to the historic church ruins at the top of the Carnanbane Road.

Historical information

The bridge is probably mid 19th cent. There is a reference in the O.S. Memoirs ; “A new line of road has also been made from Dungiven to Omagh through Carnanbane, which crosses the Owenreagh River a little below its junction with Cushcapal water ……. This road, however, proceeds no further than Templemoyle, and no bridge has as yet been built over the Owenreagh River”.
I H R No. 1956

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

Evaluation

A fine sturdy two segmental arch sandstone rubble bridge over the Owenreagh River between the townlands of Carnanbane and Templemoyle of mid 19th cent. vintage.