The White Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-arched masonry bridge carrying a driveway to Lissan House over the Lissan Water river.

Built of rubble stonework, with cut-stone voussoirs to graded segmental arches, and projecting abutment piers of battered form with set-backs, which terminate in tapering cut-stone pedestal piers with moulded cornicing. At least one of the arches has a later brick arching and vault inserted, presumably as a repair. There is a projecting cut-stone stringcourse at carriageway level forming the base for balustrading which was originally of a Chinese-inspired fretwork pattern but has been replaced by a crude timber balustrading of more simplified pattern.

SETTING

The bridge stands within the demesne of Lissan House, in a densely wooded area with much overgrowth to the banks to the river on each side, some of it now obscuring views of the bridge. From the bridge itself there is still an unobstructed view of the east end of Lissan House.

Cascades were built in connection with the bridge at the same time, the curved wall of which still remains a short distance downstream but hidden by overgrowth.

Historical information

The precise date of the bridge is not known but it appears on the OS map of 1833 and was attributed by Lewis in 1837 to the Sardinian architect and engineer Davis Ducart. In writing of Lissan in 1837 Lewis referred to "an artificial sheet of water with cascades, and a picturesque bridge, built by the celebrated Ducart". It is supposed that Ducart was commissioned here by John Staples who succeeded to the estate in 1762.

References - Primary Sources
1. OS Map of 1833.
2. OS Map of 1854.
3. OS Map of 1906.

Secondary Sources
1. S. Lewis, A topographical dictionary of Ireland (London, 1837), Vol 2, p 287.
2. M. Bence-Jones, Burke's Guide to Country Houses, Vol 1: Ireland (London, 1978), p 188.
3. A.J. Rowan, The Buildings of Ireland: North-West Ulster (Harmondsworth, 1979), p 362.
4. J. Musson, 'Lissan House Co Tyrone', Country Life, 12 March 1998, p 77.
5. H.R. Dolling, The Staples Inheritance: 400 Years in the Community (Cookstown, 2000). p 41.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
Z. Rarity
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest

Evaluation

This is a bridge of mid-18th century date designed by a leading architect of the time in Ireland, Davis Ducart. Nicely proportioned, of simple but characteristic masonry form, it is embellished with elegant pedestal piers to the ends of the timber parapets. The bridge still stands as an important garden feature, in association with a cascade a short distance downriver from it. It enjoys a good setting and is of considerable interest as a comparatively rare work in Northern Ireland by an important architect whose best known buildings are in the Republic of Ireland, and also due to its association with the development of Lissan House demesne, forming part of an interesting and valuable group of structures within it.