Ringneill Bridge

The Department's description

Exterior description and setting

Road bridge situated in the small hamlet of Ringneill which carries the road over a river at the lough edge. Ringneill is situated c.3.5 miles N of the small village of Killinchy.
The bridge is built in random rubble with rubble placed roughly into the low parapet. Originally the bridge appears to have consisted of a single semicircular arch but now there are two modern pre cast concrete arches and the sides of the bridge have been extended outwards (in an irregular fashion) in snecked rubble. There is an iron water pipe above the extended section to the S side.

Historical information

A bridge is marked on this site on the OS maps of 1834 and 1859-60. The extensions to the sides of the bridge and the insertion of the concrete arches appears to have been carried out post 1973.

References- Primary sources
1 PRONI OS Maps 1st ed. 1834, Co. Down 11.
2 PRONI OS Maps 1st rev. 1859-60, Co. Down 11.
3 UFTM W.A. Green collection- Photograph of Ringneill bridge, [?c.1910].

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

Rubble built road bridge (over a river) of probable pre 1834 origin, recently extended at both sides with two modern concrete arches where there was once a single stone arch.