Bridge at the Leap

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A single-span road bridge, dated 1842, to designs by engineer Frederick Rowan, carrying Donaghanie Road over Camowen River. Ashlar sandstone piers and splayed abutments with quoins; coursed rockfaced rubble sandstone spandrels; string course to carriageway surmounted by random rubble parapet with some cement repairs and rubble coping. Single segmental-headed arch with sandstone voussoirs and keyblock; rounded cutwaters to piers.

The carriageway is approximately 6m wide. Pair of datestones to centre of carriageway read, ‘Frederick Rowan, Engineer, 1842’ and Jas Wilson, Builder, 1842’. Recent rubble retaining wall to north-west; original rubble retaining wall to north-east. Bound to south by planting.

Setting

The bridge is located in rural area with residential dwelling to south-west; mill building to north-east. Bridge accessed from car park to north-west; leap to east.

Roof N/A
Walling sandstone
Windows N/A
Rainwater goods N/A

Historical information

The bridge is first marked and captioned “Leap Bridge” on the second edition OS map near the site of stepping stones and a mill shown on the first edition.

McCutcheon comments, “At ‘The Leap’ on the river Camowen, above Omagh…a fine single-arch bridge built by Frederick J Rowan, Engineer, in 1842” (plate 11.3). Rowan was the County surveyor for Co. Tyrone, 1842-1847.

McCutcheon sets out the development of coaching services in county in the 19th century and notes; “In the west of the county, beyond the Sperrins, the towns of Omagh and Strabane lay on the final stage of the Dublin-Derry mail coach route and both were well served by cross services, from Omagh to Enniskillen and Gortin, from Strabane to Castlederg and Dunnamanagh.” (p.41)

References:

Primary Sources

1. PRONI OS/6/6/43/1-3 – Ordnance Survey maps (1833, 1854, 1906)

Secondary Sources

2. McCutcheon, W.A. ‘The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland’, HMSO, 19800
3. Dictionary of Irish Architects, www.dia.ie

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

A single-span road bridge, dated 1842, to designs by engineer Frederick Rowan, carrying Donaghanie Road over Camowen River. The bridge, of some engineering merit, is of elegant design with fine detailed stonework. Part of the 19th century coaching network, the bridge is of the later phase of transport development in the county but a good example of a parabolic-arch design by The County Surveyor.