Buttermilk Bridge, Drumrane Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry

Buttermilk Bridge is a picturesque stone bridge dating from 1795, built during the administration of the Grand Jury. It crosses the Owenbeg River on the Drumrane Road, near Dungiven in County Londonderry. The bridge is of two arches, almost semi-circular, springing from low supporting walls with a slight shelf-like springing line. The breakwaters are triangular, with curved leading edges. The structure is built of random rubble sandstone from nearby quarries; the voussoirs are squared but heavily eroded on the arch arris, and the soffits are also of random rubble. Each arch spans approximately 7 metres, and the parapet is 29 metres long, with 7 metres between terminals. The parapet curves at the ends to accommodate the bend in the road and facilitate a crossing at right angles to the river. A substantial flight of steps with a metal gate allows access to the riverbank on the southern side. The parapet coping is composed of large blocks of stone that slightly overhang the skirting wall. The bridge is situated in a scenic location, with a sweeping meadow and broad riverbank on the southern side. The Owenbeg River flows into the River Roe a short distance downstream. The bridge is largely unaltered since its construction, with the exception of the added steps providing riverbank access. Contemporaneous with the seven-arch bridge over the River Roe in Dungiven, both structures were destroyed by floods in 1795 and subsequently rebuilt to a similar design. An 1832 Ordnance Survey map depicts the bridge, and an Ordnance Survey Memoir describes it as “a handsome object”. The bridge is considered to be of industrial archaeological interest and is owned by Central Government.