White Water Bridge, Between 221 & 245 Newry Road, Kilkeel, Newry, Co Down BT34 4SD

White Water Bridge carries historical significance in demonstrating the evolution of bridge construction during the first half of the 19th century. It stands in interesting contrast to an 18th-century bridge located to its north, which is built of rubble fieldstones with a double arch, narrow carriageway, and pronounced humpback profile.

The bridge formerly carried the main Kilkeel to Newry road over the White Water River just outside the south-west corner of Mourne Park. It comprises a single segmental span built entirely in granite. Soffit markings clearly show evidence of widening on the upstream side, increasing the original width by approximately half as much again. The downstream face is of random rubble with a roughly dressed voussoir and projecting keystone. The arch rests on ashlar abutments. Embellishment consists of a shallow projecting pier on each abutment and a platband across the bottom of the parapet, which rises to an apex above the arch crown. A rectangular granite tablet is let into the centre of the outside face of this parapet, though no inscription is evident. Wing walls to either side terminate in a second set of projecting piers. Original random rubble approach walling survives on the right bank.

The upstream face contrasts markedly, being of roughly dressed and squared masonry laid in regular courses. The arch voussoir is finely dressed with vee-jointing. As with the downstream elevation, the arch springs from ashlar abutments, but there are no projecting piers. A horizontal platband is present on this side. The parapet is a recent rebuild, complete with ribbon pointing on its upstream face, and is coped with chamfered blocks. Wing walls continue out on either side to terminate in projecting piers.

The carriageway and footpath on the downstream side together measure 7.48 metres wide, significantly wider than the 3.80-metre width of the 18th-century bridge upstream which it superseded. The road is now blocked by a granite wall on the Kilkeel side of the bridge, and the short section of road leading up to and over the bridge now functions as a lay-by and picnic area under the auspices of Newry & Mourne District Council.

The formal delineation of the boundaries of Mourne Park in the early 19th century resulted in the re-routing of the main road to the south of its former course, prompting the erection of this bridge downstream of the previous one. It appears on the 1834 Ordnance Survey 6-inch map (sheet 55). Based on the manner in which the stone has been dressed, the first phase of this bridge probably dates to the earlier 19th century, with the upstream widening addition dating to the mid-19th century. It was subsequently superseded by the present road bridge immediately upstream in the 1960s, which comprises a skew reinforced-concrete double span with quarried rubble granite parapets.