Tullaghoge Bridge, Sessiagh Road, Sessia, Co Tyrone

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a single-arch squared stone road bridge serving the former railway line from Cookstown to Dungannon, built in the later nineteenth century as part of the GNR network. It has rock-faced squared stonewalls with irregular stone capping. There is rock-face stone to the arch soffit. The arch is elliptical-headed with cut-stone voussoirs and dressings. The bridge is approximately 6 metres in width. It is sited spanning the former railway track from Cookstown to Dungannon. The bridge forms part of a series of railway bridges, as part of the GNR network..

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

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

This is a well proportioned railway bridge that is typical of railway bridges of the mid nineteenth century and is an interesting element in the surviving elements of the GRN network in this area.