Mourne Beg Bridge, Magheranageeragh Road,

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A four-span road bridge, built c.1800, carrying Magheranageeragh Road over Mourne Beg River. Random rubble parapets and spandrels; cement rendered coping to parapet. Four segmental-headed arches with ashlar sandstone voussoirs; ashlar sandstone V-shaped cutwaters with concrete plinth additions. Arch soffits are cement rendered.

The carriageway is approximately 6m wide and slightly humped. Parapet wall continues beyond bridge at west to form boundary wall to surrounding agricultural land; further small flood-arch to west; extensive concrete block and cement repairs including partial replacement of parapet walling.

The bridge is located in a rural
setting to the west of Castlederg. The riverbank is bounded to all sides by wire fencing.

Roof N/A
Walling Random rubble
Windows N/A
Rainwater goods N/A

Historical information

The bridge is shown on the first edition OS map of 1833, but is unnamed. It is captioned ‘Mourne Bridge’ on the second edition OS map of 1854.

The bridge has the slightly hump-backed profile of an eighteenth-century packhorse bridge, but the multi-span construction and ornamentation of the bridge indicate a later structure, probably around 1800.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/15/1 -First Edition OS Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/15/2 -Second Edition OS Map (1854)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/15/3 -Third Edition OS Map (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

A four-span bridge, built c.1800, carrying Magheranameeragh Road over Mourne Beg River. This multi span late Georgian substantial stone bridge remains an impressive feature in the landscape despite having been repaired in places with unsympathetic materials.