White Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

White Bridge is a rare four-span metal girder bridge which carries a single-lane road over the River Bann. Each span comprises three cast-iron I-beams, the two outer ones of which are tied together with metal tensioning rods running beneath the middle beam. Gunited brick jack arches run longitudinally between the beams, and small seepage drainpipes project at regular intervals. The outside faces of some of the girders bear the legend “Courtney Stephens & Co Engineers Dublin”; the girder at NE additionally bears the date “1856”.

The bank ends of the girders rest on three columns which are packed with rubble masonry to stabilise them. The spans across the river are also supported by three sets of triple columns. Each set is tied across their tops with a flat metal plate and additionally with steel diagonal and horizontal braces (later insertions). Some of the columns bear the legend “Courtney Stephens & Co Dublin” Cast-iron construction, the cross-sections of the principal girders being of particular interest. In most I-beams, the two flanges are the same size, but here the bottom one is significantly wider to support the brick jack arches between the beams.

The deck is of tarmaced concrete. Along its outside edges replacement box-section steel posts have been bolted at regular intervals. A replacement welded steel balustrade is affixed to the inside faces of the posts. Each balustrade is of box-section steel, with vertical square-section bars between its top and bottom member. Their tops are embellished with circular pieces running continuously between the top member and hand rail. The steel terminal posts at the ends of the balustrades are topped with ball finials. In keeping with its name, the entire bridge is painted white.

Setting

Ribbon-pointed rubble masonry approach walls continue for a short distance beyond the actual bridge. The NW approach wall has a gap to enable fishermen to access the river bank. Shallow river banks to either side with rough grassland flood plain with sporadic trees to fields and gravel carpark area adjacent. Southern approach is tree-lined.

Bridge: Cast-iron / iron / masonry

Historical information

This bridge is cited as “Wooden Bridge” on the 1833 OS six-inch map, and described in the 1834 Ordnance Survey Memoir as “Moyallen wooden bridge, erected partly by the county and partly by subscription”.

It was replaced with the present cast-iron bridge which bears the date 1856. However, the 1860 OS map captions it as ‘White Bridge (wooden)” which suggests that, although some of the ironwork may have been cast in 1856 (by Courtney, Stephens & Co of Dublin), the bridge may not actually have been erected until later – probably the 1860s. It is cited as “White Bridge” on the 1903-04 OS map and subsequent editions.

The brick jack arches were strengthened with gunite in 1985. When surveyed in 1994, this bridge still had its original cast-iron balustrades and masonry approach walls. These features were removed during the bridge’s refurbishment in 2009 to strenghthen the bridge after an accident, as part of Health and Safety measures. The balustrades were replaced with steel railings of a different design to the original (vertical bars rather than closely-spaced semi-elliptical ones), and the walls with new stonework also of different character (particularly noticeable in its coursing and coping).

References – Primary sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/3/26/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 26 (1833).
2. OS Memoir for Tullylish Parish (1834). Reprinted as A. Day & P. McWilliams (eds), Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland:
Parishes of County Down III, 1833-8, Mid-Down, p.142 (Belfast: Institute of Irish Studies, 1992).
3. Makers' date (1856) cast on principal beam.
4. PRONI OS/6/3/26/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 26 (1860).
5. PRONI OS/6/3/26/3. Third edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 26 (1903-04).
6. PRONI OS/6/3/26/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 26 (1903-17).

References - Secondary sources:
1. R.C. Cox & M. Gould, Civil Engineering Heritage Ireland, pp 186-187 (London: Thomas Telford, 1998).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H-. Alterations detracting from building
J. Setting

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
Z. Rarity

Evaluation

A rare four-span metal girder road bridge of mid-19th century date over the River Bann. It is unusual in being of cast-iron construction, the cross-sections of the principal girders being of particular interest. Unfortunately the bridge’s original appearance has been compromised by the replacement of the cast-iron balustrade with a lighter steel one, carried out as part of Health and Safety measures. However, its almost unique structure is of special architectural and historic interest.

This is one of two cast-iron bridges over the Upper Bann, and the earlier of the two; the other is Seafin Bridge (grid J2172 3801), erected in 1878.