Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Small road bridge over the River Blackwater on the Mill Road on the NE edge of the hamlet of Balloo.
The bridge is built in whinstone rubble with two (roughly) segmental arches with a cutwater on both sides. A water pipe cuts across the arches (and through the cutwater) on the SW side. Four tie rods have been inserted into the bridge in fairly recent times (post 1972). The parapet has flat coping. Marks in tarmac indicate where tie rods have been inserted.
Former mill complex to N.

Historical information

This bridge is marked on the OS maps of 1834 and 1858-60. To the N of the bridge was a corn and flax mill which is noted as being in possession of a John Frew in the valuation records of 1861.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS Maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 17.
2 PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 17.
3 PRONI 2nd (‘Griffith’s’) valuation, Killinchy parish, Balloo Td. c.1861.

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

Small road bridge over the River Blackwater, built of whinstone rubble. Large tie rods have been inserted into this bridge in fairly recent times and a water pipe has been inserted through the cutwater on the south west side.