Finvey Bridge,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This is a double-arch rubble hump-backed stone road bridge over the Rock River, built c.1820. It is orientated roughly Northeast-Southwest. The arches are semicircular-headed with cut-stone voussoirs.

It has rock-faced squared stone walls with cut-stone capping. The arch soffit is smooth render with a coursed cut-stone base. There is a splayed cut-stone cutwater between the arches to the upstream side of the bridge. The Killyneedan Road is approximately 8 metres in width.

The bridge is spans Rock River within the rural townland of Killyneedan to the South of Cookstown.

Setting
The bridge site within open countryside surrounded by gently rolling hills.

Historical information

A bridge is shown on this site on the OS map of 1833-34 and all others thereafter. It is marked ‘Finvey Bridge’ for the first time on the revised OS map of 1854-57. The bridge’s construction (hump-back and double-arch) suggest it is pre 1833.

References- Primary sources

1 PRONI OS/6/3/38/1 OS map, Co. Tyrone sheet 38, 1833-34
2 PRONI OS/6/3/38/2 OS map, Co. Tyrone sheet 38, 1854-57
3 PRONI OS/6/3/38/3 OS map, Co. Tyrone sheet 38, 1905

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

This is a modest early Nineteenth century rustic road bridge in unaltered condition. Like many of the era it is undecorated but demonstrates pleasing proportions and is a very good example of the genre and a notablel survival.