Donard Bridge, Donard Park, Newcastle, Ballaghbeg, Co Down

Donard Bridge is a single span granite-built bridge of 1836, possibly designed by Newry architect Thomas J. Duff. The bridge carries a track across the Glen River within Donard Park on the slopes of the Mournes, south-west of Newcastle town centre.

The bridge is constructed in granite ashlar with a single segmental arch and splayed exits that culminate in short octagonal piers. The parapet is largely plain with rounded coping. On both faces of the arch are panelled square piers. Beneath a string course, the voussoirs, spandrels and lower portion of the piers are all v-jointed. Each parapet has a panel at its centre; the north-east facing panel bears the date '1836' in Art Deco style numerals, which appear to be a mid-twentieth century addition. A free-standing modern metal barrier has been added to the north-west exit to deter vehicles.

Originally, the bridge formed part of the demesne surrounding Donard Lodge, the Newcastle residence of the Earls Annesley, built in the early 1830s to designs by Duff and Thomas Jackson, with alterations by builder John Lynn. The townland was purchased by William Annesley from Anthony Magennis in 1747. Donard Bridge appears to have replaced an earlier bridge shown on the 1834 Ordnance Survey map, located to the north of Donard Lodge itself. The revised 1859 Ordnance Survey map shows the bridge as it stands today, along with two further footbridges to the south-west, one of which occupied the site of the present rubble bridge built in 1865.

To the south-west of Donard Bridge, further up the slope, is a much cruder single span bridge of 1865 in random rubble, with low parapets devoid of coping and a date stone to its north-east face with numerals similar to those on Donard Bridge. A further, more modern concrete bridge stands beyond this.

Donard Lodge was demolished in 1966 and the demesne is now managed by the Forest Service.