DRY ARCH AND WALLS BALLINTOY ROAD CARROWREAGH TL

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A mid-19th C masonry arch bridge carries a minor road over the main Ballycastle - Coleraine road.
The bridge is of squared random rubble basalt and is embellished with dressed sandstone quoins, arch voussoirs, and string courses. The arch is of segmental profile and also has a squared rubble basalt soffit. Modern height warning triangles are affixed to both faces of its crown.

The parapets are coped with sandstone slabs and have out-projecting terminal piers. Both caps of the piers at the south end of the bridge have been replaced with concrete, but those at the north end are the original sandstone ones.

The bridge functions as a flyover, carrying a minor road between Ballintoy and Ballymoney/ Armoy over the Ballycastle-Coleraine road. The latter has been excavated out from underneath the arch such that the east and west approaches to the bridge are embanked on both sides and held back with low rubble basalt walls. The bridge's restricted headroom means that high-sided vehicles must pass under the middle of the bridge and give way to any oncoming traffic.

Slip roads at the east and west ends of the excavated section lead from the main road up to the minor road, meeting it at the south side of the bridge.

Setting:
The bridge is in an entirely rural
setting, being surrounded by fields on all sides.

Historical information

Neither the bridge nor this line of the main road are marked on the 1832 OS map. At that time the latter ran north of its present alignment and met the minor at a cross roads. The (uncaptioned) bridge and new line of main road both appear on the 1857 map, along with a slip road running east from its south end to the main road. The same configuration is shown on the 1904 and 1922 editions.

The slip road running west from the bridge to the main road was extant by 1974.

The bridge was undoubtedly financed by the Co Antrim Grand Jury under the presentment system. Charles Lanyon was County Surveyor from 1836 to 1860 and it was probably designed by him and built under his direction.

References - Primary Sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/1/8/1. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 8 (1832).
2. PRONI OS/6/1/8/2. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 8 (1857).
3. PRONI OS/6/1/8/3. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 8 (1904).
4. PRONI OS/6/1/8/4. OS 1:10,560 map, Co Antrim sheet 8 (1922).
5. PRONI OS/11/15/15/1. OS 1:2500 map, Irish Grid sheet 15-15 (1974).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

R. Age
S. Authenticity
T. Historic Importance
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

The style, proportion and ornamentation of this bridge are typical of mid-19th century bridges financed by the Grand Juries under the presentment system of road and bridge construction. Its interest is enhanced by the fact that it carries one road over another; its setting thus plays a key part in its architectural appreciation.

Historically, the bridge is virtually unaltered and is a very early example of a grade-separated junction; another early example is the 1830s 'Cut' in the centre of Banbridge. It is very probably the work of Charles Lanyon, Surveyor for Co Antrim at the time of its construction in the 1840s or '50s.