Railway Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a triple-arch squared stone road bridge over a former railway line from Cookstown to Dungannon, built c.1876. It has squared rock-faced sand stone walls with irregular stone capping. The arches are round-headed with brick dressings. The brick arches are arranged in three rows of red brick, with a projecting rounded yellow brick row to the outer perimeter. The central arch is supported on two rock-faced cut-stone piers to the central arch. The road is approximately 5 metres in width. The bridge is sited spanning the former railway line. It has overgrown banks to the East bank, and an open grass area to the West. The bridge forms part of a series of railway bridges, as part of the former GNR railway network.

It is very similar in design to Kidd's Bridge (HB09/13/037).

Historical information

This bridge was built as part of the Dungannon and Cookstown Railway line, and as such dates from the main period of this railway’s construction, c.1876-79. This railway, later part of the GNR, opened in July 1879, closed to passengers in January 1956, and was shut down completely in January 1965.

References- Secondary sources
1 McCutcheon, W.A., 'The industrial archaeology of Northern Ireland' (Belfast, HMSO, 1980), p.164, plate 32.5
2 Johnson, Stephen, ‘Johnson’s atlas & gazetteer of the railways of Ireland’, (Midland Publishing Ltd., 1997), p.99

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

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This is a picturesque, well proportioned 3-arched railway bridge. Although somewhat rare elsewhere, triple arched railway bridges are a feature of the GNR lines in this area.
It is well preserved and in near original condition.

The bridge has a well preserved setting, and is an important element in the surviving elements of the GNR network.