Ballynahatty Bridge, Ballynahatty Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone, BT78 1PW

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A three-span road bridge, built c.1820, carrying Ballynahatty Road over Ballynahatty Water. Coursed rubble stone spandrels and parapet with flat coping; piers on rendered plinth have coursed rubble V-shaped cutwaters; that to east has random rubble cutwater; abutment and parapet to east partially replaced with squared sandstone. Three segmental-headed arches with rubble voussoirs; that to east has rubble spandrels which project beyond structure forming platform at carriageway level; arch soffits are rubble.

Bridge located in rural
setting; parapet wall continues to east forming boundary wall to riverbank; segmental coping. Riverbank bounded at south-west by boundary wall of private dwelling; rendered plinth wall surmounted by metal railings; bounded at north-west by hedging.

Roof N/A
Walling Coursed rubble
Windows N/A
RWG N/A

Historical information

The bridge is present on all four editions of the ordnance survey, captioned ‘Ballynahatty Bridge’. The bridge can be dated stylistically to c.1820 but the structure appears to have been built in stages, with the projecting east arch perhaps extended at a later date, indicated by differing masonry.

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/42/1 – First Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1833)
2. PRONI OS/6/6/42/2 – Second Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1853)
3. PRONI OS/6/6/42/3 – Third Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1905-6)
4. PRONI OS/6/6/42/4 – Fourth Edition Ordnance Survey Map (1937-8)

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A three-span road bridge, built c.1820, carrying Ballynahatty Road over Ballynahatty Water. The structure appears to have been built in stages, with the projecting east arch perhaps extended at a later date, indicated by differing stonework. This visible progression adds to its interest and character and it is a significant element in the locality. It is a good example of a multi span bridge that has been developed, an unusual aspect of bridge building this early.

General comments

New Listing; from first survey records, HB11/05/011 was shown at this grid reference but further investigation has shown that this is not the same bridge; HB11/05/011 is actually railway bridge to the east of this structure.