Derrychier Bridge, Derrychier Road, Derrychier, Dungiven, Co Londonderry

Derrychier Bridge is a handsome three-arch sandstone bridge dating to the second half of the 19th century, likely constructed between 1860 and 1879. The bridge is well-constructed, with walls built partly of squared rubble sandstone and partly of ashlar sandstone. The arches, almost semi-circular with large, well-formed voissoirs, span 5½ metres each. The walls are roughly tooled in a sparrowpick style, with the soffits of the arches finished in sandstone ashlar work in stretcher bond. The bridge walls are 1 metre high, featuring a broad, projecting stringcourse at the springing line that continues around the round breakwaters on the supporting piers. The carriageway is 6½ metres wide, and the parapets, 30 metres long, flare out to a width of 7½ metres at one end, curving on one side at the other. The riverbed is concreted. The parapets are topped with large, roughly squared coping stones. Downstream, the riverbank is faced with random rubble stonework. Several tie rods and patress plates have been added to the bridge in recent decades. The bridge crosses the Owenbeg River at a right angle, causing sharp bends in the road at each end. It is situated in a pleasant setting on the Owenbeg River and exhibits characteristics of industrial archaeological interest and local historical interest. The bridge was not shown on an Ordnance Survey map from 1830.