Eight Mile Bridge, Kilkeel Rd, Hilltown, Newry, Co Down

This bridge carries the main Newry - Newcastle/ Castlewellan road over the Upper Bann River, immediately east of Hilltown. It comprises three semicircular spans, the middle one of which is slightly higher and wider than the other two. It is of random granite rubble, with dressed angled cutwaters which extend up the parapets on both sides, levelling off just below the copings. The voussoirs are also of dressed granite, as are the arch faces below the spring line. In the recent past a metal girder footbridge has been erected on the upstream (south) side It is supported on the existing piers (lowered accordingly), and on new dressed granite abutments. The original masonry parapets have been retained on either side of the carriageway, ribbon pointed internally and coped with concrete. The parapets are 45cm in width and the road 6.60m, making a total width of 7.50m (24ft 8in). There are no breaks in the soffits, piers or abutments indicating that it is a single build.