bridge

Triple/multiple-arched bridge carrying road over the Ballintra River, built c. 1780. Round-headed arches having roughly squared rubble stone voussoirs and rubble stone masonry to arch barrels. Coursed and squared rubble stone construction to spandrels and piers with coursed rubble stone and rubble stone construction to parapets with roughly squared stone coping over; rubble stone wing walls to either ends of parapets having roughly squared rubble stone coping over. Tarmacadam deck with grass verges. Located in the rural countryside to the east of Ballintra and to the north-west of Brownhall (see 40910401).

This simple but appealing multiple-arched bridge retains much its early character and form, and is an appealing feature in the rural landscape to the east of Ballintra. This bridge is robustly-constructed in squared local rubble stone masonry, and its continued survival and use stands as testament to the quality of its original construction, and of the skill of the masons involved. The antiquity of this bridge is apparent from its robust construction, the thickness of the piers between the arches, and the narrowness of the deck, which suggests that it may date to the second half of the eighteenth century, a period that saw a great deal of road and bridge-building in Ireland, particularly by the Grand Juries (the forerunners of the County Councils). The location of this bridge close to Brownhall Demesne (see 40910401) hints that this bridge may have some connection with this estate and the Hamilton family that developed it. This simple bridge is an integral element of the built heritage and transport heritage of the local area, and makes a positive contribution to the landscape.