Carrick Footbridge, Carrick East, Roe Valley Country Park, Limavady, Co Londonderry, BT49 9HA

Carrick Footbridge

A light and delicate metal footbridge of inverted bowstring type, spanning a deep gorge of the River Roe near Carrick Church in the Roe Valley Country Park. The bridge is of a rare structural type, possibly unique in Ireland, with the supporting structure positioned beneath rather than above the timber deck, contrasting markedly with the more common bowstring design where the arch sits above the deck.

The bridge comprises two spans: a main span of 19.3 metres from the west bank, where it is tied to the side, to a vertical support on top of a rock near the east bank; and a smaller span of eight metres from this support to the east bank. On each span, a curved tie rod of 50mm diameter forms a parabolic arch beneath the timber deck, with vertical struts equally spaced between rod and deck. The main truss has eight rods; the smaller has two.

The timber deck is 750mm wide and is flanked by L-section angles 63 x 20mm which form the upper chord of the side trusses and support vertical balusters at 900mm centres. Underneath, smaller angles of 50 x 20mm support the end and mid-point of the timber planks. The handrail, made from a curved metal flat 40mm wide, stands 1050mm above the deck. Between the balusters are diagonal side members and wire mesh infill added at a later date. All metal parts are painted green. The bridge exhibits a slight twist along its length, measured by engineers as 160mm.

The bridge was first indicated on the 1905 Ordnance Survey Map, though it likely dates to the 1880s–1890s. It was built to facilitate parishioners of Carrick Church living on the west bank of the River Roe, as half of the parish lay on that side of the river. One local account attributes its construction to Limavady Rural District Council for the parishioners, though this cannot be verified from council records, which begin only in 1910. The council did take responsibility for maintaining the bridge for many years. Following the major flood of 1929, which badly twisted the structure, the bridge was repaired in 1930. A path from Carrick Church descends 65 flights of concrete steps to the bridge, while 116 steps rise from the bridge on the western bank, this latter path now forming part of the Roe Valley Country Park.

The structure was listed in 1992. In 1998 it was taken into Department of Environment ownership for inclusion in the country park and removed for refurbishment by specialists under the direction of DOE Construction Service. At that time, the timber deck was in poor condition, with rotting planks—one missing and another loose—though the bridge remained usable with careful foot placement and firm grip on handrails. Engineering reports cautioned against use even then, as the handrail fixing detail had weakened the handrails themselves. The bridge is recognised for its industrial archaeological interest and its rare structural innovation, as well as for its historical and social significance to the local community.