Gillhall (Gill Hall) Bridge, Dromore, Co Down

Elegant late 17th century bridge of four semicircular arches in random rubble composed of mostly Silurian stone with some sandstone. The Lagan River in normal circumstances flows through the two central equised arches, while those at each end, which are smaller, both in height and width. are normally dry. Indeed, one of the smaller arches, that on the north side, is partly infilled and a blocking wall build into the face of the west side. Both this arch and the one on the opposite are used as cattle shelters. These smaller arches would have been built to accommodate the river on the adjacent flood plain in time of floods. Rather than having a humped back, the carriageway, which measures around 100 feet in length and 14 feet 6 inches between the 18-inch wide parapets, has a slight upward slope from south to north, with a short causeway approach to the south. The bridge boasts piers with angled cutwaters, three on each side, which continue upwards into three pedestrian refuges in each parapet. The parapets are coped with irregular Silurian stonework, in part replaced with dressed granite, sandstone and concrete flags in the more recent past. There is no embellishment on the bridge. In the recent past, possibly during the 1970s, the face of the bridge was given a skim of cement plaster and the stone joining accentuated. The piers of the mains arches also have been faced with concrete, although much of this has fallen away and the mortar jointing eroded. The soffit of the south arch is also badly cracked, and tie rods would be necessary to hold this together. Masonry buttresses at the south-east and north-west ends also helps to counteract the outward bulge of the approach walls. The top of the down stream right-bank pedestrian refuge has also fallen away, and there is considerable ivy growth over part of the bridge face. The bridge lay at the centre of a major late 17th century formal demesne layout and stands adjacent to the site of a once important late 17th and early 18th century mansion. This stood a short distance to the north-west. While part of the 1730s stable block still survives, no fragment of the original house exists. Adjacent to the bridge on the north-west side are the remains of a wall (largely composed of early brick) revetting the river bank, possibly part of a garden terrace. To the south of the bridge, and aligned upon it, lies a long straight half-mile avenue, which formally led to the house. This is still lined with common lime (mostly) and oak and is a notable surviving feature in its own right. The area around the bridge on both sides is used as a farm yards, with a modern farm building just south west of the bridge. The area around the bridge nonetheless retains many trees and is an attractive location.