Killinchy Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

High road viaduct over the River Blackwater, a former mill race and valley. The bridge is situated on the Comber Road just N of the hamlet of Balloo.

The bridge is constructed in snecked bluestone rubble with sandstone dressings. Both sides of the bridge are largely covered in greenery but there appear to be at least four arches (probably more) with sandstone quoins and voussoirs and a sandstone springing course. The arches that are still visible are blocked with random rubble with a low segmental arch in one of the large arches for the former mill race. There appears to be a similar (but slightly larger) opening in the blocked arch over the river (to the immediate N of the mill race arch). Buttress-like piers between main blocked arches.

The parapet between the piers is now cement rendered with rounded coping.

As much of this bridge is covered in creeping greenery large sections are obscured.

Historical information

This bridge is shown on the OS maps of 1834 and 1859-60 and marked ‘Killinchy Bridge’. Presumably the tall arches were once open?

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS Maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 17.
2 PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 17.

Secondary sources
1 Fred Hammond “Communications in Co. Down” in 'Down- History and society', ed Lindsay Proudfoot (Dublin 1997), pp.599-628.

Criteria for listing: architectural interest

Not listed

Criteria for listing: historic interest

Not listed

Evaluation

Substantial viaduct, of possible early nineteenth century origin, in bluestone rubble with sandstone dressings. The still visible tall arches of this bridge are blocked, with only small openings in those arches over the river and the former mill race. The parapet between the piers is now covered in cement render. Much of the bridge is now obscured due to climbing plants and other shubbery.