Datestone

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three-span stone road-over-river bridge, erected c.1850, largely rebuilt c.2000. North parapet contains an early carved stone plaque from original 18th century bridge.

Stone plaque has a recessed panel with a carving of an elliptical-headed bridge with remnants of a pair of carved figures. Below the figurative carving is inscribed.. “Drumquin Bridge/ built by James/ Carton: Under/ The Inspection of/ The Rev.d Avril / Daniel~ A.D.1787”

The bridge is located at the north end of the main street of Drumquin.

Roof N/A
Walling Stone/stone-clad concrete
Windows N/A
Rainwater goods N/A

Historical information

The bridge is marked on the first edition OS map but uncaptioned. On the second edition it is captioned ‘Drumquin Br’. McCutcheon notes, “An unusually fresh inscribed stone set into the parapet wall of the bridge at Drumquin, Co Tyrone…built in 1787” (Plate 12.5). He describes the bridge as ‘worthy of attention’.

McEvoy, writing in 1802, found that, “Roads and bridges are generally well attended to by the gentlemen of the county, many of whom are excellent judges of such public works and take great pains to have them well executed.” (p.118)

McCutcheon confirms this; “At this time, Tyrone was subscribing more money for roads and bridges than any other northern county. Moreover within the county itself building materials were plentiful – basalt, gravel and lime-stone – and this greatly facilitated road construction at a time when transport costs for such heavy, bulky materials were so high.” (p.41)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/33/1-3 – Ordnance Survey Maps (1833, 1853, 1906)

Secondary Sources

1. McCutcheon, W.A. ‘The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland’, HMSO, 1980
2. McEvoy, J ‘County of Tyrone 1802, A Statistical Suvey by John McEvoy’, Friar’s Bush Press, 1991

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

A substantial stone bridge that has largely been rebuilt c.2000, with the early carved plaque reinstated to the parapet wall and providing the town with a reference its eighteenth-century origins. However, plaques alone are are not suitable subjects for listing and the bridge does not meet the statutory and policy tests as a building of special architectural or historic interest.