Massereene Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

A 6-arch stone bridge carrying a public road over the Six Mile Water. It runs north-south.

East face: walling of basalt rubble with rough voussoirs to elliptical arches; angled triangular cutwaters one of which is surmounted by a projecting rectangular refuge which rises above the parapet. Parapet coping is feather edged with vertical borders let into parapet.

West face: walling of later roughly coursed blackstone rubble with angular triangular cutwaters, dressed granite voussoirs to elliptical arches. Parapet coping as previous to east face, surmounted by an original mid-19th century cast iron lamp standard. Parapet terminates at each end by a large square stone pier with moulded cap, each one abutted by a pedestrian gateway comprising original mid-19th century cast iron posts.

Carriageway flat, bordered by pavements. Inner face of refuge in eastern parapet contains a contemporary commemorative plaque recording the building of the bridge in 1708 with a later inscription of 1857 added to it; base of refuge filled with angled stone block.

SETTING: The bridge stands within the built-up area of the town. Adjacent banks overgrown except for north bank on west side which has a modern arrangement of timber decking leading to the bridge carriageway by modern timber steps.

Historical information

Built in 1708 by Viscount Massereene and John O'Neill under the supervision of George Jackson and Alexander Cornwell; repaired and widened, on the west side, in 1857 by the contractor William Vance, presumably to the designs of Charles Lanyon who was County Surveyor at the time, in charge of public buildings, roads, and bridges.

References – Primary Sources
1. OS Map 1832, Co Antrim 50.
2. OS Map 1857, Co Antrim 50.
3. Inscription plaque of 1708 and 1857 on bridge.

Secondary Sources
1. Ordnance Survey Memoirs of Ireland, Vol 29: Parishes of County Antrim XI, 1832-3, 1835-9 (Belfast 1995), pp 9-10, 49.
2. UAHS, Antrim and Ballymena (Belfast, 1969), p 10.
3. W.A. McCutcheon, The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland (Belfast, 1980), p 31.
4. J. Hanna, Old Antrim (Catrine, Ayrshire, 2002), p 25.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

A. Style
B. Proportion
C. Ornamentation
D. Plan Form
F. Structural System
H+. Alterations enhancing the building
J. Setting
K. Group value

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Z. Rarity
W. Northern Ireland/International Interest
V. Authorship

Evaluation

This is an good example of an early 18th century rubble stone bridge which was widened on one side with dressed stone arches in the mid-19th century. It retains an uncommon datestone and inscription from the period of its foundation, exhibits a constructional evolution which is documented on the inscription, and provides the locality with a picturesque and attractive feature of 18th to 19th century townscape.