Sheep Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Three segmental arches carry the main Belfast - Newry road over the Clanrye River. It is built of regularly coursed squared granite rubble, with random rubble parapets and triangular cutwaters on up and down sides (terminating at arch spring level). The faces of the approach walls are slightly battered.

Embellishment takes the form of dressed granite abutments, voussoirs, platbands and rounded parapet copings. The latter end in small projecting rectangular piers which are each capped with a semicircular stone inscribed with a three-leaf design on their faces (road faces on W parapet and both faces on E parapet).

The coping on W parapet has shifted outwards slightly and the cap of the north-east pier has been knocked off.

The two side arches are dry in normal circumstances. A narrow mill race passes through the ends of the southern approach.

Historical information

Sheep Bridge is explicitly cited on Moll's 1714 Map of Ireland and on Harris's 1743 map of Co. Down. The 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir describes it thus: "The Dublin road passes over a well-built bridge called Sheepbridge, it consists of three circular arches, the middle one 25, the other two each 22 feet span,, the average rise 47 feet above the spring, and the piers are 37.5 feet above ground; the arch stones are of granite, 27 feet long at the spring and two feet at the crown" [the height dimensions would appear to be inaccurate].

Primary sources:

1. Herman Moll, 1714, New Map of Ireland.
2. Walter Harris, 1743, New and Correct Map of Ye County of Down.
3. Ordnance Survey Memoir, Newry Parish (Carnmeen td).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest

Evaluation

It is likely that the present bridge is that described in the 1834 OSM. Whether it is the same bridge as depicted by Moll and Harris is, however, questionable. Early 18th century bridges tend to have semicircular arches and be of plain rubble construction. By contrast, the present bridge has segmental arches, coursed stonework and dressed stone embellishment, all of which suggest an early 19th century rebuild, perhaps in connection with an upgrading of what was the main Belfast - Dublin turnpike road. The bridge also enhances the landscape hereabouts and is a well known landmark along this road.