Iron Lattice Bridge, Hilden Mill, Mill Street, Hilden, Lisburn, Co Antrim

This now-disused early 20th century lattice girder bridge carries a footpath over the River Lagan at the south end of Hilden Mill. Only the abutment on the left bank was visible, that on the right being shrouded in ivy. The former is of machined red brick and coped with concrete. Apart from the deck, the bridge is of metal construction, both cast and wrought; whether it is steel or iron is less certain. The two principal girders comprise T-section top and bottom cast-metal strings between which run diagonal flat wrought-metal bars affixed with rivets. The components of each string are joined to one another with riveted plates. There are also vertical flat-bar stiffeners between the strings at regular intervals. I-section steel beams are supported across the tops of the two bottom strings and in turn support timber decking laid longitudinally; these transoms and deck may be later replacements. Many of the transoms are heavily corroded and most of the decking is missing. Two parallel flanged cast-metal beams formerly ran along the top of the deck to carry wheeled bogeys (thus preventing wear on the timber); part of one of these tracks survives. The principal girders also act as parapets. They are braced to the oversailing ends of the transoms by diagonal L-section metal struts, the bottom ends of which are affixed to the ends of the transoms with nuts and bolts. A cast-iron water pipe across the river is hung from the downstream ends of the transoms. A steel palisade fence has been erected across the NW end of the bridge to prevent usage.