Historic Buildings Record · Northern Ireland
Joseph's Bridge,
Ballystockart and Ballyaltikilligan, Ards and North Down, Northern Ireland
The record
- Designation
- Record only (not listed)
- Grade
- Record Only
- Type
- Bridge
- Date of construction
- 1820 - 1839
- Address
- Joseph's Bridge,, Glen Road,, Ballystockart and Ballyaltikilligan,, Comber,, Co. Down
- Townland
- Ballystockart and Ballyaltikilligan
- Council
- Ards and North Down
- Country
- Northern Ireland
- Coordinates
- 54.55234, -5.78983
- Date of survey
- 22 April 1999
- HB reference
- HB24/15/042
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 5 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1794 "Sheet 55. (Cary's England, Wales, and Scotland)." (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
The Department's description
Exterior description and setting
Bridge carrying the Glen Road over the Ballystockart River. The bridge is situated at the W end of the Glen Road (near a sharp turn), c.1.5 miles W of Comber town centre.
The bridge is built of random basalt rubble with a single segmental arch with dressed voussoirs. The parapet to the S has thick stone coping whilst to the N has upright stones cemented into the parapet. In fact the N face of the bridge looks as if a large portion of it was reconstructed fairly recently.
The road is covered in tarmac. Stone built outbuildings to W of the bridge.
Historical information
A bridge is shown on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858 and marked ‘Joseph’s Bridge’ on both. Conceivably the present structure could be pre 1833, but the lack of a hump back suggests it is slightly later, perhaps c.1850s.
The origin of the name of the bridge appears to be a mystery- does it refer to the original builder?
References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS/1/3/10 OS map 1st ed. 1834, Down 10.
2 PRONI OS/6/3/10 OS map 1st rev. 1858, Down 10.
Criteria for listing: architectural interest
Not listed
Criteria for listing: historic interest
Not listed
Evaluation
Relatively small rubble built road bridge of probable mid 19th century origin. The north face appears to have been partly reconstructed recently.
Nearby in the register
- 11 Gransha CloseHouseunder 1 mi
- Hillside,Houseunder 1 mi
- Bridge,Bridgeunder 1 mi
- Gate lodge to former Ballyalolly House,Gates/ Screens/ Lodgesunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.