Railway bridge, (West of) Holmea Farm, 111 Comber Road, Castleaverry, Newtownards, Co. Down, BT23 4QS

The bridge, constructed between 1840 and 1859, is a sandstone road bridge built over the former route of the Belfast & County Down Railway. It lies approximately two miles south of Newtownards, west of Holmlea Farm. Originally part of the railway line connecting Belfast, Comber, and Newtownards – which opened in May 1850 and was abandoned in 1953 – the bridge now carries a narrow, curving country lane that ascends westward into a bank. The bridge features splayed ends with end piers. It's built of rock-faced sandstone, featuring an elliptical arch with slightly battered abutments on either side. Above the arch is a slightly projecting course with coping to the parapet. The northern side of the bridge remains largely visible, although the ground level has been raised and the former railway cutting has been filled. The southern side now has a large, modern, gabled farm outbuilding built against it, and the arch has been filled in, with the area to the east of the arch faced in cement render. The lane itself is surfaced with tarmac. Note that the bridge is situated on private land.