Huntly Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Huntly Bridge, built c.1857, is a twin-span masonry bridge which carries a two-lane road over the River Bann.

The abutments and piers are of rock-faced randomly-sized blackstone blocks set in irregular courses. There is a semicircular cutwater at both ends of the pier, of regularly coursed blackstone blocks, which rises to arch spring level, with a dressed granite cap topped with cement. The equi-sized arches have segmental profiles, random rubble soffits, and dressed granite voussoirs.
The spandrels are of squared random rubble blackstone.

The spandrel above the cutwater on the downstream (W) face of the bridge contains a slit recess. The spandrel above the cutwater on the upstream face has a carved bearded head at the top of which is the date ‘1857’.

The parapets are also of squared blackstone rubble. They are coped with roughly dressed granite blocks and terminate in out-projecting piers. The banks are pitched with random rubble blackstone walls for a short distance above and below the bridge.

Walling: Stone

Setting

Modern housing development to north-east; agricultural land to south-east; sewage works to north-west; dwelling to south-west.

Historical information

According to W.A. McCutcheon, this was an important fording point prior to the construction of a bridge over the river at Banbridge in 1712.
Huntly Bridge was the first at this location and dates from 1857. A wooden bridge is shown a short distance upstream from it on the 1833 map, but nothing where the bridge under review stands. The upstream timber bridge was superseded by Huntly Bridge which is shown uncaptioned on OS maps from 1860 onwards.

References – Primary sources:
1. PRONI OS/6/3/27/1. First edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 27 (1833).
2. 1857 datestone on bridge.
3. PRONI OS/6/3/27/2. Second edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 27 (1860).
4. PRONI OS/6/3/26/4. Fourth edition OS six-inch map, Co Down sheet 27 (1903-18).

References – Secondary sources:
1. W.A. McCutcheon, The Industrial Archaeology of N. Ireland, p.35 (Belfast: HMSO, 1980).

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
X. Local Interest

Evaluation

Huntly Bridge is a twin-span masonry road bridge, built c.1857 over the River Bann. Despite its modest scale, it exhibits many of the hallmarks of mid-19th century bridge construction – segmental spans, high quality workmanship, contrasting materials, and rounded cutwaters. The carved head with its attested date also adds interest.