Footbridge over Ballinderry River, Mullan Cot, near 80 Mullan Road, Coagh, Co Tyrone

Footbridge over Ballinderry River

This is an early 20th century reinforced concrete footbridge built in 1924 to span the Ballinderry River between counties Londonderry and Tyrone. It was designed by the respective county engineers, J.A. Moore and J.W. Leebody, with structural details prepared by Messrs L.G. Mouchel & Partners Ltd using the Hennebique system of reinforced concrete.

The bridge stands in a rural setting amid low-lying farmland, approximately one mile from Lough Neagh, set well back from public roads along pedestrian paths. It spans approximately east to west and comprises five spans in total. Three intermediate spans of fifty feet each are carried on pairs of square-section intermediate piers set on cylindrical bases that slope to mass concrete abutments. Each span consists of two girders and a cross girder positioned over each pier and abutment. The handrailing on each side comprises three rows of iron tubing supported by concrete pillars and iron T-bars. The river flows under only the three easternmost spans under normal conditions. The banks are grassed with mature trees adjacent to the western end, and wooden fencing and stiles adjoin each end of the bridge.

The bridge appears to be in its original condition and is of plain functional unornamented style, typical of both its utilitarian character and the Modern Movement which was manifesting itself at that time in architectural and engineering design. It is of very special interest as one of the earliest reinforced concrete bridges in Northern Ireland and the only pre-war pedestrian bridge built of that material. As one of a number of examples in Northern Ireland of the Hennebique system, invented by the internationally renowned pioneering French engineer François Hennebique and developed in Britain by Mouchel & Partners of London, it is of national interest. The bridge replaced a ford and a ferry, both shown on the 1906 Ordnance Survey map, and holds local social value as a means of connection between two communities on either side of the river, some distance from the nearest vehicular bridge.