Careymill Bridge, Carey Mill, Ballycastle, Co. Antrim

Careymill Bridge is an early 19th-century twin-arched masonry road bridge spanning the Carey River just east of Ballycastle on the Carey Mill Road, which connects the main A2 Cushendall-Ballycastle Road to the north and Churchfield Road to the south.

The bridge is constructed of randomly-sized, roughly-squared sandstone brought to courses. The abutments and pier feature margined quoins and angled cutwaters at both the upstream and downstream ends of the pier, which rise to arch spring level and are capped with angled dressed sandstone slabs. The two arches are of equal size with segmental profiles and are formed from finely-dressed sandstone voussoirs. The soffits are of squared sandstone rubble. The road deck slopes slightly from east to west, and the parapets are coped with concrete of semicircular profile. Both upstream banks have random sandstone rubble side walls.

The bed of the river is pitched with stones to prevent undercutting, creating a small weir just beyond the downstream end of the bridge. Concrete footings have been added to the abutments and pier for the same protective purpose. Much of the bridge's original historic fabric and detailing survives intact, though the concrete coping and footings represent later interventions.

The bridge is named after the cornmill immediately downstream on the left bank, which it was probably built to serve, providing access from the main Ballycastle-Cushendun coast road. A bridge is shown at this location on the 1832 Ordnance Survey map, though it was not significant enough to be recorded in the 1830s Ordnance Survey Memoirs. It is explicitly captioned as Careymill Bridge on the 1857 revision and subsequent editions. Given the minor nature of this road, the original bridge has likely never been rebuilt or widened, making it probably the first structure at this location. Its good quality of construction suggests an early 19th-century date of erection. The bridge is of local and historical interest, particularly for its association with the former corn mill and its industrial archaeological significance.