Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Railway bridge over
Aghayalloge, Newry, Mourne and Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Listed building, Grade B2
- Grade
- B2
- Type
- Bridge
- Date of listing
- 7 August 1992
- Date of construction
- 1840 - 1859
- Address
- Railway bridge over, Low Road, Newry, Co. Armagh
- Townland
- Aghayalloge
- Council
- Newry, Mourne and Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.12272, -6.37433
- Date of survey
- 15 May 2000
- HB reference
- HB16/13/023
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 LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1830 "V.3:11-15:XV. Britisches Reich. C. Kon: Ireland. b. Prov: Ulster. Counties: 13-21" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
This bridge carries the embanked double track Belfast-Dublin railway over the Low Road (3.4m headroom).
It comprises a single slightly-skewed segmental span of coarsely-dressed and irregularly laid granodiorite blocks throughout. It is embellished with tooled edges to the abutments, rusticated voussoirs, a finely dressed and chamfered string course through the arch at spring level and a similarly detailed cornice just above the crown (there were no parapets originally). Although the arch is skewed, the soffit blocks are laid orthogonally (i.e. conventionally). Splayed wing walls to each side are coped with finely-dressed and chamfered blocks and end in square piers with pyramidal caps.
A concrete blockwork parapet has been added in the recent past; the middle section of the top string course and part of the spandrels have been damaged as a consequence and repaired with concrete.
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. This 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. WA McCutcheon (1980), The industrial archaeology of Northern Ireland, (Belfast: HMSO).
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
This bridge is of some architectural interest on account of its design and standard of execution. It has historical associations with Sir John Macneill and William Dargan ('father' of Irish railways). However, its modest scale and modern alterations do not make it sufficiently special to merit continued listing.
General comments
**Under consideration : awaing additional information** 30th March 2004
Nearby in the register
- Railway Bridge over laneBridgeunder 1 mi
- 39 Low RoadHouseunder 1 mi
- Dwelling 70m N of 8 Low RoadHouseunder 1 mi
- Telephone Kioskunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.