Bridge at 94 Church Street

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Tall, single arch railway bridge built in 1861-62 to designs by Thomas Jackson, which formerly carried the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast line over a drive formerly leading to the Bishop of Dromore's palace. It is set to the immediate east of what was Dromore railway station (HB17/15/057), roughly 100m north of Church Street, 300m west of the town centre. The driveway (former rear entrance to the now demolished Bishops Palace) it once spanned, has not been in use for some considerable time (it became defunct with the building of the A1 dual carriageway) and is now an overgrown laneway.

The arch is semi-circular and is flanked by splayed walls which retain the embankment. Walls are constructed in squared, rock-faced ‘Greywacke’ stone with granite dressings to the parapets. To the base of the arch on the south side are recent concrete block piers (which probably once supported a gate). On top of the bridge there appears to be a metal guardrail

Flanking the entrance to the laneway is a pair of decorative stone and brick gateposts (one now much damaged); these appear relate to the adjoining house. Also to the west side of the entrance is a small dwelling of late 19th century date, somewhat altered in more recent years.

Historical information

This bridge was built in 1861-62 as part of the Banbridge, Lisburn and Belfast Railway line. Carrying the line over a road, the bridge, like the neighbouring station to the immediate west and the impressive to the west of this, was designed by the noted Belfast-based architect Thomas Jackson, who had been employed by the BLBR to work on all of its stations, at Banbridge, Dromore, Hillsborough and Mullafernaghan. The contractor at Dromore staion was William Nimmick, who presumably worked on the bridge also. The line closed in 1956 and the bridge has remained disused ever since.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/6/3/20/2, 21/2 OS maps, Co. Down sheets 20 and 21, 1858. [These maps were annotated post 1863 to include the BLBR line and the buildings and other structures associated with it.]
2 PRONI OS/6/3/20/3, 21/3 OS maps, Co. Down sheets 20 and 21, 1903

Secondary sources
1 Casserley, H.C., ‘An Outline of Irish Railway History’, (London, David & Charles, 1974), pp.174-75
2 Dixon, Hugh, ‘Honouring Thomas Jackson’, Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society Proceedings and Reports 2nd series, vol 9 (1970/71-1976/77), 23-31. (Paper delivered to Belfast Natural History and Philosophical Society, 10 Dec 1974.)
3 McCutcheon, W.A., ‘The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland’, (Belfast, 1980), p.161, plate 28
4 NIEA HB17/ / First survey record- Former station at 34 Church Street, Dromore, 30 December 1994
5 Rowledge, J.W.P., ‘A Regional History of the Railways, vol XVI Ireland’, (Transport Publishers, 1995), pp.209-11
6 Johnson, Stephen, ‘John’s Atlas & Gazetteer of the Railways of Ireland’, (Midland Publishing Ltd., 1997), pp.
7 Irish Architectural Archive- Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720-1940, http://www.dia.ie/architects/view/2763 and http://www.dia.ie/works/view/8899/building

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

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

Criteria for listing: historic interest

X. Local Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

As a piece of relatively well-preserved mid 19th century industrial heritage this bridge is of merit in its own right. However, the fact that it is by one of Victorian Ireland’s foremost architects, Thomas Jackson, and is situated close to other railway buildings he was also responsible for, adds greatly to this worth.

General comments

The viaduct is sits just outside the Dromore Conservation Area.