Downshire Bridge, Bridge Street, Dromore, Co Down, BT25

Downshire Bridge is a two-arch masonry and brick road bridge built in 1885 over the River Lagan, situated just south of the Market Square in Dromore. Despite its modest size, the bridge displays exceptionally high standards of workmanship, evident in its contrasting materials, varied surface finishes, and decorative details. Although predominantly stone, the use of brick in its arches is particularly noteworthy.

The abutments and central pier are constructed of regularly coursed dressed granite blocks. The north abutment (on the right bank) has been encased in mass concrete. Curvilinear pointed cutwaters, rising to arch spring level, are located at each end of the pier. These comprise dressed granite blocks laid to regular courses and capped with granite. The two arches are of identical segmental profile. Their voussoirs are of finely dressed granite blocks, but the soffits are of brick. The spandrels and parapets are faced with rock-faced and margined granite blocks. A dressed granite string course runs across the top of each arch crown, directly beneath the parapet. The parapets are coped with oversailing, finely dressed and chamfered granite blocks. An electricity cable crosses the downstream (west) parapet face in a small pipe secured to the top of the string course. Set into the middle of the road face of the downstream parapet is a polished granite slab reading "Downshire/ Bridge/ 1885". Terminal piers, constructed of regularly laid finely dressed granite blocks with oversailing chamfered copings, stand at the south end of each parapet. The south-west pier carries the inscription "W.J. Doloughan Contractor" on its edge coping stone. No terminal piers exist at the north end, where buildings occupy this space. The south-east pier appears to have originally carried a lamp standard, now removed, with only fixing holes remaining. The footpath at the south end of the bridge was widened and is carried along part of the outside face on a brick quarter-arch. This widening necessitated shortening the parapet and repositioning its terminal pier. A small interpretative plaque detailing the bridge's history is mounted on the building at the north-west end. Minor overgrowth appears on the upstream face.

The bridge occupies a prominent position on one of the town's main streets, with various buildings to north and south.

Historical context

The first bridge at this crossing point was erected in the 1730s by the Banbridge–Belfast Turnpike Trust and is shown on the 1833 Ordnance Survey map. The 1837 Ordnance Survey Memoir describes it as having two arches, being built of whinstone and granite, measuring 40 feet long and 18 feet broad, and appearing very old at that time. Regent Bridge, erected in 1811, subsequently superseded it as the principal crossing on the Dublin road. The present Downshire Bridge is a replacement of 1885, named after the Marquis of Downshire, the local landowner. It was built by contractor W.J. Doloughan and may have been designed by William J. McKeown, architect of Gilford Masonic Hall (1888). The bridge is captioned 'Downshire Bridge' on the 1903 Ordnance Survey map and subsequent editions. This map also shows the widened footpath. The footpath widening occurred within 18 years of the bridge's construction, though it may have been carried out at the same time, which would place the south-east parapet pier in its original position. The bridge is of local historical importance as the site of a significant river crossing and for its documented date of construction.