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New Bridge in Culdaff

Bridge
New Bridge in Culdaff
Photo: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Report the wrong picture

What is recorded here

Double-arch bridge carrying road over the Culdaff River, built c. 1800, having large rubble stone cutwater (on semi-circular-plan) to the wide central pier to both elevations and with overflow arch to the north-east. Round-headed arches having dressed stone voussoirs with dressed keystone detail; squared rubble stone…

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Double-arch bridge carrying road over the Culdaff River, built c. 1800, having large rubble stone cutwater (on semi-circular-plan) to the wide central pier to both elevations and with overflow arch to the north-east. Round-headed arches having dressed stone voussoirs with dressed keystone detail; squared rubble stone construction to arch barrel. Rubble stone construction to pier and abutments and to parapets. Random rubble stone parapet walls, randomly rendered in parts, with rendered coping over. Cut stone buttresses to south-west and north-east-banks or river. Tarmacadam deck. Rubble stone wing walls to ends of parapets with and stone stiles to north-east side of bridge to either parapet. Located to the south-west of the centre of Culdaff.
This simple but appealing double-arched road bridge retains much its early character and form, and is an appealing feature in the streetscape to the south-west end of the village of Culdaff. This bridge is robustly-constructed in 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. This bridge makes use of a natural island in the centre of the Culdaff River, which results in an unusual wide gap between the two central arches. This bridge is notable for the quality of the cut stone masonry to the voussoirs, which are of a quality not encountered on many bridges of this scale. This bridge dates to the late-eighteenth or early-nineteenth century, a period that witnessed a large expansion in the rural road network in Ireland - and the subsequent building of numerous bridges - which was mainly carried out by the Grand Juries (the forerunners of the County Councils). The overflow arch to the north-west displays a level of forward planning on behalf of the original builders. The rubble stone wing walls to either side, and the pedestrian stiles, add to the setting and complete this composition. Located along the main approach road into Culdaff from the south-west, this appealing bridge is an integral element of the built heritage and transport heritage of the local area, and makes a positive contribution to the landscape.

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 40802001

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Photo credits
  • National Inventory of Architectural Heritage
  • Kenneth Allen, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Andreas F. Borchert, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0
  • Kenneth Allen, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • James Emmans, Geograph · CC BY-SA 2.0
  • Picture: Think Business
  • Picture: Barrack Hill Town Park
outbuilding163 yd

Explorer Tom Outbuilding in Culdaff has been squatting on the street since c. 1880, its external steps leading directly to a first-floor door. It’s got that unrefined rubble stone look that feels like it grew out of the ground. The scale hints it might have been a pub or commercial place, so who knows what parties were thrown here?

McGuinness’Pub · 214 yd

Explorer Tom McGuinness’ in Culdaff Main Street probably has a sign that says 'No Dogs Except This One,' showing clear favoritism. I bet the owner knows every dog in the village by name and will scold yours for being bad manners. Bring wellies and low expectations, leave delighted.

Culdaff ArmsPub · 229 yd

Explorer Tom Culdaff Arms is definitely where you go if your arm hurts from carrying too many heavy bags or emotional baggage. The name suggests heavy lifting or perhaps just deep exhaustion after a long day of work. Tell me if the gossip I made up is true.

Church in CuldaffChurch · 259 yd

Explorer Tom Church in Culdaff is built right on top of a legendary spot said to be St. Buadan’s foundation. Road workers even dug up bones when widening the street nearby, which adds a layer of spooky depth to the whole place. It’s not just a building; it’s a layered history waiting for you to stare at it.

IndicatedGraveyard · 266 yd

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Culdaff is where road workers actually pulled human bones out of the dirt during widening works. It’s a spooky reminder that St. Buadan’s old church was built right here, and the earth kept its secrets for centuries.

GraveyardBurial ground · 293 yd

Explorer Tom Graveyard in Culdaff is marked as an early ecclesiastical site, supposedly founded by St Buadan, but there’s barely anything left to prove it. Road workers actually found human bones while widening the village road, proving this was once a much bigger burial ground. It’s a quiet spot with a surprisingly gritty history underneath the surface.

CuldaffOfficial bathing water · 1.1 mi

Explorer Tom Culdaff Beach looks as if three pieces of the map agreed to meet for tea: dunes to the west, two rock outcrops to the southeast, and the Culdaff River to the northwest. The sand has quite a supporting cast. This protected coast deserves a gentle visit.

CastleCastle, unclassified · 1.3 mi

Explorer Tom Castle in Carthage may survive only as shapeless stone mounds on a promontory. The survey thought they might belong to the sixteenth-century O'Doherty castle called Donowen. A wall closed the landward side, while another guarded a sea approach. Those defences are recorded; the exact shape of the lost castle is not.

Tremone BayBeach / strand · 4.2 mi

Explorer Tom Tremone Bay has been keeping an icy secret in its rocks. Geological Survey Ireland records debris dropped by ancient ice in the bedrock at White Strand’s northwest end, roughly 590 to 570 million years old. I cannot blame the beach for looking smug; most places would brag about a history half that long.

Visit CarndonaghVisitor information · 4.3 mi

Explorer Tom Visit Carndonagh in County Donegal is where the builder was really thinking, 'I’ll just put this here and hope nobody notices how random it looks.' It’s a little sign that seems to have wandered in from a different century and got stuck there, looking confused. It’s charming in a clumsy way, like a dog trying to fetch a ball it can’t reach. A good place to forget your phone for ten minutes.

Barrack Hill Community GardensGarden · 4.4 mi

Explorer Tom Follow the growers on Barrack Hill and you will find sixteen raised beds and three polytunnels. One starts the seedlings; the other two keep things growing. I could claim to know their secret for a good tomato, but the gardeners would catch me bluffing before I got through the gate. These are working plots, so ask the committee before going in.

Barrack Hill Town Park PlaygroundChildren's playground · 4.4 mi

Explorer Tom At Barrack Hill, little legs get the climbing frames, swings, balance beams and monkey bars. The roundabout was designed to include more children, and older ones have their own obstacle trail nearby. If I were seven, I would call the monkey bars a test of courage. If I were a parent, I would be looking for the covered shelter. Carndonagh's park committee says local families helped shape the refurbished playground, and the older children's activity area reopened in 2023.

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