Newtown Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Newtown Bridge (no. 177) carries the Newtown Rd over the double track Belfast-Dublin railway, just west of the main Dundalk road.

It comprises a slightly skewed single semi-elliptical span of coarsely-dressed granodiorite blocks throughout, all regularly coursed except for the parapet which is irregularly laid. The soffit blocks are also laid at an angle appropriate to the skew. The bridge is embellished with tooled edges to the abutments, rusticated voussoirs, a finely dressed and chamfered string course through the arch at spring level and just above the crown, and similarly detailed parapet copings. There are shallow buttresses to the approach walls on either side (with tooled edges). The parapets terminate in out-projecting piers. The road is slightly humped where it crosses the bridge.

Historical information

Erected about 1850 by the Dublin & Belfast Junction Railway Co to designs by its chief engineer Sir John Macneill; its construction was undertaken by William Dargan. The section of line from Killeen to Dundalk was opened in 1850. With the completion of the Craigmore Viaduct in 1852, the entire line between Belfast and Dublin became fully operational.

Secondary Source:
1. W.A. McCutcheon, 'Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland' (Belfast 1980).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

V. Authorship
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

This bridge is of architectural interest on account of its design and high standard of execution. It has historical associations with Sir John Macneill and William Dargan ('father' of Irish railways). It is similar to other rail-related bridges hereabouts, all of which form a coherent group dating from around 1850