Red Bridge, Ballyrobert Road, Crawfordsburn, Bangor, Co Down, BT19

A single-span brick and stone bridge of 1852 carries the Ballyrobert Road from Crawfordsburn to the main Bangor-Belfast road over Clandeboye Avenue. The bridge is of red brick construction with ashlar sandstone detailing. The sandstone quoins to the abutments are chamfered and grooved. They continue as voussoirs around the arch which is of two-centred profile. Directly over the voussoirs a projecting sandstone drip mould which continues part way down each abutment. Above the drip mound is a single course of sandstone blocks. Directly over the arch crown on both faces is a recessed square sandstone panel with moulded surround. The panel on the south face carries the date 1852 in bas-relief. The panel on the north face is obscured by overgrowth and may also bear this date. The bridge is framed to both sides by rectangular pilasters with stepped sandstone quoins. They rise to low circular brick turrets at road level; these also double as terminal piers to the parapets. The bases of the turrets are carried on moulded sandstone corbels. A moulded sandstone string course runs along the base of the parapets between these corbels. The turrets are embellished with blank sandstone ’window loops’. The parapets are coped with moulded sandstone blocks which continue around the tops of the turrets. Setting The carriageway runs at an angle across the bridge and comprises a two-lane road and footpath. A private garden occupies the space between the edge of the road and the parapet on the south side. The corresponding space on the north side is heavily overgrown, as is this parapet. Clandeboye Avenue is now a public footpath between Helen’s Bay and the Clandeboye Estate. It is accessible from the road via a track at the north-west end of the bridge. Walling: Brick/sandstone