Wolfenden's Bridge, Ballyskeagh Road, Lisburn, Co Antrim

A nine-arch masonry bridge carries the Ballyskeagh Road over the River Lagan just north of Lambeg Parish Church. It is constructed of random rubble blackstone throughout. The piers have triangular cutwaters on both up- and downstream ends, rising to the base of the parapets. The arches are approximately equi-sized and have roughly segmental profiles. The five arches at the south end span the river and the four at north are flood arches (all on the Co Down side). Their voussoirs are of split blackstone, except for that on the downstream (W) face of the northmost arch which is of split Triassic sandstone. The southmost arch soffit has been gunited, but the rubble masonry soffits are visible under the other arches. There is no longitudinal break in the stonework to indicate any widening. Tie rods hold the sides of the south two and northmost arches together (the southmost arch has five such ties). The parapets are of quarried rubble basalt with concrete copings. They have undoubtedly been rebuilt from time to time. Indeed, the north end of the downstream parapet has been rebuilt in the recent past. Substantial rubble basalt buttresses have been built along both sides of the north approach road. The carriageway comprises two lanes for traffic and one footpath. The north end of the approach road crosses over the now-defunct headrace to the former Lambeg Bleachworks. The bridge which carries the road is of random rubble construction, with a semicircular arch of split stone voussoirs, and the south abutment of which is underpinned and faced with concrete. The race is now dry and the mill premises have been redeveloped as an industrial estate.