Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Eight Mile Bridge
Carcullion/ Ballymaghery, Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade B2
- Grade
- B2
- Type
- Bridge
- Date of listing
- 22 September 1981
- Address
- Eight Mile Bridge, Kilkeel Rd, Hilltown, Newry, Co Down
- Townland
- Carcullion/ Ballymaghery
- Council
- Newry, Mourne and Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.19646, -6.13521
- Date of survey
- 10 February 1999
- HB reference
- HB16/07/012
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 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
This bridge carries the main Newry - Newcastle/ Castlewellan road over the Upper Bann River, immediately east of Hilltown. It comprises three semicircular spans, the middle one of which is slightly higher and wider than the other two. It is of random granite rubble, with dressed angled cutwaters which extend up the parapets on both sides, levelling off just below the copings. The voussoirs are also of dressed granite, as are the arch faces below the spring line.
In the recent past a metal girder footbridge has been erected on the upstream (south) side It is supported on the existing piers (lowered accordingly), and on new dressed granite abutments. The original masonry parapets have been retained on either side of the carriageway, ribbon pointed internally and coped with concrete.
The parapets are 45cm in width and the road 6.60m, making a total width of 7.50m (24ft 8in). There are no breaks in the soffits, piers or abutments indicating that it is a single build.
Historical information
The name of this bridge probably derives from its distance, in Irish Miles, from Newry. It is explicitly cited by name on maps by Moll (1714), Harris (1743) and Kennedy (1755). Although the use of rubble stonework accords with an 18th century date, the use of finely dressed stone is suggestive of a l9th century rebuild. Unfortunately there is no description in the 1830s' Ordnance Survey Memoir, so it cannot be determined if modifications were made before or after this date.
Primary sources:
1. H. Moll (1714), A New Map of Ireland.
2. W. Harris (1743), A New and Correct Map of ye County of Down.
3. Kennedy’s map of Co Down, 1755 (PRONI: T1006/1).
4. 1st edition OS 6" map (Down sheet 48).
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
A. Style
B. Proportion
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building
Criteria for listing: historic interest
X. Local Interest
Evaluation
The bridge is of historical interest in being on the main mailcoach road between Newry and Downpatrick. The arch configuration is also of interest.
Nearby in the register
- Footbridge over River BannBridgeunder 1 mi
- Hilltown LodgeHouseunder 1 mi
- Former Corn Mill off Kilkeel RdFactoryunder 1 mi
- Disused flax mill off Kilkeel RdMillunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.