Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
McGowan's Bridge
Eglish, Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Bridge
- Date of construction
- 1840 - 1859
- Address
- McGowan's Bridge, Eglish Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co Armagh
- Townland
- Eglish
- Council
- Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.45864, -6.56505
- Date of survey
- 31 December 2004
- HB reference
- HB15/02/046
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1838 "Ireland, north sheet." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
A single-arched masonry bridge carrying a public road over the site of a former railway track. It is aligned north to south.
Built of snecked basalt rubble with an elliptical archway of shaped voussoirs. Battered faces to abutments which break forward slightly to each side of the archway. Parapets are returned round at the south end. Carriageway slightly humped, with grass verges.
SETTING: The bridge stands in a very rural location, surrounded by fields; railway line removed and its track now obscured by ground level to each side of bridge being later filled up to level of filed on west side; filled up further on east side where it now covers some of the voussoirs.
Historical information
Built to carry a public road over the Portadown, Dungannon and Omagh branch line of the Great Northern Railway, which was opened in 1858, probably to the designs of their engineer at the time, John Godwin. The line was closed in 1965.
References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1859, Co Armagh 4 (named 'McGowan's Bridge').
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
This is an example of Victorian bridge engineering in stone but is of no special interest and has furthermore had its setting changed and its appearance spoiled.
Nearby in the register
- St John's Roman Catholic ChurchChurchunder 1 mi
- Former house at rear ofHouseunder 1 mi
- 3 Tarthlogue RoadDemolishedunder 1 mi
- Annaghmore Bridge, Clonmacash Road, Portadown, Craigavon, Co ArmaghBridgeunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.