Bridge, Mourne Park, Newry Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down

The bridge at Mourne Park, near Kilkeel, is a significant example of an 18th-century road bridge, demonstrating characteristics uncommon in later constructions. It possesses unequal arches, a pronounced humped back, narrowness, fieldstone construction, and pedestrian refuges, all contributing to its distinctive appearance within a dramatic setting over a cascading river. The bridge holds group value when considered alongside the two road bridges located immediately downstream, helping to illustrate the evolution of bridge construction over the last two centuries.

Formerly carrying the main Kilkeel-Newry road over the White Water River, it now sits within the boundaries of Mourne Park demesne, close to its south-western corner. The bridge comprises two arches constructed from rounded rubble Silurian and granite fieldstones, reinforced with coarsely-dressed granite voussoirs. The left-bank arch, typically dry, is narrower and lower than the right arch, which is semicircular, while the left arch has a segmental profile. Angled cutwaters are present on both the upstream and downstream sides of the pier, extending to the tops of the parapets to form pedestrian refuges. The carriageway has a very pronounced hump-back, with the road cresting over the crown of the main arch due to the lower height of the left arch; the road is only 3.8 metres wide. The parapets are 90 centimetres high and 35 centimetres thick. Vehicular access is currently restricted by a granite post inserted at the east end (left bank), while a pair of wrought and cast-iron gates are located at the western end. The bridge is now overgrown with ivy, and the parapet tops are beginning to show signs of deterioration.

The formalisation of Mourne Park's boundaries in the early 1800s led to the rerouting of the main Newry road to the south, requiring the construction of a replacement bridge (HB16/05/064). This bridge subsequently became obsolete for public use. Based on its style and association with the original road line, it is likely of 18th-century origin and is depicted on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map of the estate. The bridge possesses industrial archaeological interest and demonstrates notable proportions, plan form, structural system, setting, and group value.