Kennedy’s Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Disused railway bridge over a largely disused lane/road in the western side of Comber.

The bridge is built in snecked sandstone with a single semicircular arch with voussoirs and brick intrados with a ‘spring’ band. On each side of the bridge the arch is flanked with piers and outer curved retaining walls.

There is a course above the arch on the S face of the bridge. Modern metal gates have been attached to the arch on the S face. The parapet to the S has lost much of its coping and has had some modern concrete fence posts placed against it.

The N face is largely obscured by greenery.

The railway line itself has been removed and the track is now overgrown.

Historical information

This bridge was constructed as part of the railway line (Belfast & Co. Down Railway) linking Belfast, Comber and Newtownards, which opened in May 1850. The line was abandoned in 1953.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS maps 1st rev. 1858-60, Co. Down 10

References- Secondary sources
1 E.M. Patterson 'The Belfast & County Down Railway' (Lingfield: Oakwood Press 1958).
2 E.R.R. Green 'The industrial archaeology of Co. Down' (HMSO 1963), p.62.
3 W.A. McCutcheon 'The Industrial Archaeology of Northern Ireland'(HMSO 1980), pp.95-222.
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Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Erected in 1848-50, this sandstone built railway bridge was constructed to span over a road. It is now abandoned, neglected and partly damaged, but seemingly still structurally sound.