Morley Bridge, Riverside, Doagh, Co Antrim

The Morley Bridge, also known as Riverside Bridge, is a three-span stone footbridge located to the north-west of the village of Doagh, County Antrim. Constructed around 1700, it provides access to Doagh from the hamlet of Hunterstown and appears on the First Edition Ordnance Survey Map of 1833. The bridge is built of random rubble basalt and carries Riverside over the Doagh River. It has no parapet, and the cobbled surface is overgrown with grass. The north elevation features three segmental-headed arches with regular rubble voussoirs, springing from basalt piers with V-shaped cutwaters. The arch soffits are of random rubble. The cutwater to the west remains, but only the base is intact; the cutwater to the east has fallen away. The south elevation mirrors the north. The eastern arch remains intact with retained voussoirs, while the western arches have partly fallen away, revealing the rubble construction. The remains of the cutwater to the east are still evident. The bridge is in poor repair, with cutwaters and facing having fallen away, and the carriageway beginning to deteriorate. Modern brickwork marks the boundary of a dwelling to the east, with gardens beyond. A more recent bridge carrying the Burn Road is located further south along the river. The bridge possesses characteristics of industrial archaeological interest. Valuation records from 1836 and the First Edition OS Map (1833) provide primary source references.