Owenbeg Bridge, Foreglen Road, Dungiven, Co Londonderry

Owenbeg Bridge, located on the Foreglen Road in Dungiven, County Londonderry, is a well-built example of a semi-circular arch bridge dating from the late 18th century and early 19th century, specifically constructed between 1780 and 1799. It holds both national and local significance and is set within a picturesque location.

The bridge itself is a three-arch stone structure spanning the Owenbeg River. The central arch is taller and has a slightly higher springing line, due to a wider span of approximately 7.5 metres, while the flanking arches measure around 6 metres each. The arches are formed with roughly squared voissoirs of local sandstone, with skirting walls constructed from rubble stonework. Triangular breakwaters with half-pyramidal tops are located between the arches. Extending 30 metres in length and 1 metre in height, the parapet walls feature large copings that slightly overhang the carriageway. The carriageway width between the parapets is 7 metres, and the upstream parapet curves slightly. A course of larger sandstone is visible at the springing line of the arches. The river bed beneath and around the bridge has been concreted, and a weir is situated approximately 10 metres downstream, incorporating a central fish bypass. The bridge is positioned at a right angle to the riverbed, within a scenic stretch of the river. The roadway has been realigned, now rendering the bridge a quiet backwater, adjacent to a sunken picnic area. Steps provide access down to the bridge from the western end of the parapet.

The bridge’s architecture, including the use of semi-circular arches, is typical of late 18th and early 19th century construction and shares similarities with the Buttermilk Bridge spanning the Owenbeg River further downstream. The structure was referenced in the Ordnance Survey Memoirs, and its construction is thought to date back to around 1795. The bridge also possesses industrial archaeological interest. It is owned by central government.