White Water Bridge, Between 221 & 245 Newry Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down BT34 4SD

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

This bridge formerly carried the main Kilkeel - Newry road over the White Water River just outside the south-west corner of Mourne Park. It comprises a single segmental span in granite throughout. Soffit markings show clear evidence of widening on the upstream side (by half as much again as the original width).

The downstream face is of random rubble with a roughly dressed voussoir (and projecting keystone). The arch rests on ashlar abutments. Embellishment takes the form of a shallow projecting pier on each abutment and a platband across the bottom of the parapet; the latter rises to an apex above the arch crown. A rectangular granite tablet is let into the centre of the outside face of this parapet but no inscription is evident. Wing walls to either side terminate in a second set of projecting piers. The original random rubble approach walling survives on the right bank.

The upstream face is, by contrast, of roughly dressed and squared masonry laid in regular courses. The arch voussoir is finely dressed, with vee-jointing. As with the downstream elevation, the arch springs from ashlar abutments but there are no projecting piers. There is also a horizontal platband on this side. The parapet, which is a recent rebuild (complete with ribbon pointing on its upstream face), is coped with chamfered blocks. Wing walls continue out on either side to terminate in projecting piers.

The carriageway and footpath on the downstream side together measure 7.48m wide (this compares with 3.80m for the 18th century bridge upstream which it superseded).

The road is now blocked by a granite wall on the Kilkeel side of the bridge. The short section of road leading up to and over the bridge is now lay-by and picnic area under the auspices of Newry & Mourne District Council.

Historical information

The formal delineation of the boundaries of Mourne Park in the early 19th century resulted in the re-routing of the main road to the south of its former course, and the erection of this bridge downstream of the previous one (HB16/5/008). It is depicted on the 1834 OS 6" map (sheet 55). Judging by the manner in which the stone has been dressed, the first phase of this bridge probably dates to the earlier 19th century and the upstream addition to the mid 19th C. It was, in turn, superseded by the present road bridge immediately upstream in the 1960s. This comprises a skew reinforced-concrete double span with quarried rubble granite parapets.

Primary Sources:
1. 1834 OS map (Down sheet 55).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Whilst this bridge is of interest in its own right in demonstrating the evolution of bridge construction in the first half of the 19th C, it also forms an interesting contrast with the 18th C bridge to its north (HB 16/05/008). The latter is built of rubble fieldstones, with double arch, narrow carriageway and pronounced humpback.