Wilson's Bridge

Single-arched bridge carrying road over Crana River, built c. 1807. Segmental-headed arch with roughly dressed stone voussoirs; squared rubble stone construction to arch barrel. Squared and rubble stone construction to spandrels and abutments. Abutments built directly on to bedrock. Rubble stone construction to parapets with rubble stone coping over. Modern water pipe to the north-east elevation. Tarmacadam deck with pathway to the north-east side of bridge. Rubble stone wing walls to either ends of parapets, stepping out from alignment of bridge. Located a short distance to the north of the centre of Buncrana with Westbrook House (see 40902945) adjacent to the west side of bridge.

This impressive and elegant single-arch bridge, of early nineteenth-century century date, retains its original form and character, and is an appealing feature in the landscape to the north of Buncrana. It is robustly-constructed in local squared 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 single wide graceful arch with well-crafted voussoirs, and the construction of the abutments directly onto the bedrock, are features of some technical and engineering merit that help to elevate this bridge above many of its contemporaries. The chamfered corner the abutments and the unusually narrow-plan for its date are other interesting features of this bridge. The wing walls to either rend of the parapets step out from the alignment of the bridge parapets, which is a feature found on numerous bridges in County Donegal. This bridge was reputedly built in 1807 by Judge Wilson, who also built the adjacent Westbrook House (see 40902945) to the north-west at the same time.