Around the Bridges of Londonderry

It must be at least seven years since I have taken myself around the circular run of Londonderry, crossing the Craigavon Bridge and what is still referred to as the New Bridge. That was my selection for yesterday's exertions.

 

Thankfully I hadn't arranged to meet up with anyone. I know that I wouldn't have been good company. Running does give you time for solitude; time to consider; time to think. You might not come to any earthshaking conclusion, but at least you only have yourself to fall out with. Mind you it tends to be rather easy falling out with yourself. You know the trigger points. You question yourself; question your actions; question your decisions and suspect your answers have been incorrect.

 

I ran in an anticlockwise direction, crossing the New Bridge initially and then running up through the Bay Road Park. The tide was out and several oyster catchers were sieving the mudflats. An ancient jogger staggered past me running in the opposite direction. His running apparel would not have looked out of place on Stanley Matthews. Still he was making the effort. He wasn't joining his contemporaries at the bowling club or slipping on his slippers to watch day time television. Hopefully I will have the willpower to be running at his age. It doesn't seem that far away. It isn't.

 

The run turned out to be slightly longer than I had anticipated. When I reached St Columb's Park the pathway running below Rockport Park , Caw Park and the various " 'waters," was closed. Strange that. I thought it had been completed for the recent marathon. Maybe it needs to be repaired!

 

The bridges of Maddison County aren't as high.

 

The Carlisle Bridge - Londonderry's Second Bridge

Londonderry's first bridge, the Boston Bridge, saw its first passengers in 1790, but within a very few years it became apparent that this bridge was inadequate for the traffic wishing to use it. As early as 1807 plans were submitted to the Corporation for a new and wider bridge. In 1852 Sir William Cubitt a consulting engineer retained by the Trustees of the Londonderry Bridge, reported that a new bridge was, "absolutely necessary."

Following something of a Victorian tradition the Trustees offered prizes of £200 and £100 for the two best plans for a new bridge across the River Foyle. The rules of the competition stipulated that the cost was not to exceed £80,000. A total of 36 designs were submitted. Sir William Cubitt recommended that a design for a suspension bridge presented by a Peter Barlow should be adopted although it had not won the competition. That design and several others were then referred to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty and they in their turn asked a Mr John Hawkshaw M.Inst. C.E. to comment on the suitability of Mr Barlow's design. He opined that the design for a girder bridge, with a central swing span, which had won the competition would be cheaper and more appropriate for navigation purposes. His views were adopted and he was subsequently appointed as Engineer for the works.

After the submission of tenders the contract for the construction was awarded to the English firm of John Butler & Co at a price of £64,500. This occurred towards the end of 1858. The new bridge was constructed of wrought iron and had eight spans. Like its successor, the Craigavon Bridge it was constructed with two decks , the lower deck being for rail traffic. The official opening of this new bridge, which was to have the name, the Carlisle Bridge occurred on 24th September 1863. It was named after George William Frederick, 7th Earl of Carlisle, Lord Lieutenant General and General Govenor of Ireland who carried out the opening ceremony. He was to die at Castle Howard the following year.

Like its predecessor, the wooden Boston Bridge, the Carlisle Bridge was a toll bridge and remained so until 1st January 1878. It would ultimately be supplanted by the Craigavon Bridge in 1936. By that date the barge traffic to Strabane had died away and the Craigavon bridge was to be the first of Londonderry's bridges not to have an opening span.

Source: Commemorative booklet issued by Londonderry Corporation on the occasion of the opening of the Craigavon Bridge

The Boston Bridge - Londonderry's First Bridge Across The Foyle.

Until the latter years of the eighteenth century one had to employ the services of the ferry in order to cross the Foyle at Londonderry. The ferry rights were held by the City Corporation from the Society of the Governors and Assistants, London, of the New Plantation of Ulster, (The Hon. The Irish Society), at a rent of £20 per annum. The Corporation sublet their right to operate the ferry for an annual sum of £300.

As early as 1769 the Corporation of Londonderry was petitioning The Hon. The Irish Society for permission to construct a bridge across the River Foyle, but it was not until 1786 that consent was forthcoming.

The contractor for the bridge was one Lemuel Cox from the firm of Cox & Thompson, Boston, New England hence the reason for it being referred to as, "the Boston Bridge." Construction of the 1068 feet long structure commenced in 1789 and foot passengers were able to use the bridge by the end of 1790, although it would be 1791 before carts and other vehicles were able to cross It. The oak piles for the bridge are reported as having been imported from America. Twenty workmen travelled with them to assist in the construction. The bridge was lit by gas and it originally incorporated a short drawbridge which was subsequently replaced by a turning bridge so as to allow river traffic to proceed up to Strabane. Throughout its existence the wooden Boston Bridge was a toll bridge. (It was demolished soon after the opening of its successor, the Carlisle Bridge in 1863). The toll office was on the western side side of the bridge. The cost of the original construction was £16,594. When a 350 feet long portion was swept away by ice in 1814 the repair bill was £18,208.

The bridge over the River Foyle was to be the first of several bridges constructed by Lemuel Cox throughout Ireland including one over the River Suir at Waterford. Between 1792 and 1796 Cox along with his wife and two of his sons resided in Ireland before returning to America where he died in 1806. Prior to becoming a bridge builder it appears that Cox was a wheelwright.

Sources : Dictionary of Irish Architects; Colby's Ordnance Survey and Commemorative Booklet of Visit of The Right Hon The Lord Mayor of London to Londonderry 1933

Running Past The Garvagh Pyramid

As I was pulling in to Garvagh Forest I spotted another runner heading up the path beside the river. Having parked the car I pulled on my rain top, hat and gloves and headed off after my sporting compatriot wondering if I would be able to catch him up. With the twisting nature of the pathway it was some six or seven minutes before I caught sight of his fluorescent top through the trees. He was probably about one hundred and fifty yards ahead of me, but at the next hill I could see that I was pulling him in fairly quickly. Even on what is supposed to be a steady training run it is hard not to be a little bit competitive.

Another three minutes saw me drawing level with him. I startled him somewhat. He had one of those iPod devices plugged into his ears. Not really a runner was my first thought, a view reinforced by the fact that despite the cold conditions he was bare legged. Male non club runners seem very loathe to wear running tights. Still he was moving at a reasonable pace so I decided to run along with him. He probably had to run slightly quicker than he had planned, but I won't apologise for that. It transpired that he had started work recently at Garvagh High School. I think that he is  providing an, "after education," course for the fifth year pupils. Apparently they are now the only pupils left in the school. The school will officially close on the 31st August 2012. There may be good educational reasons for the closure, but it is still sad to see another foundation stone of village life kicked asunder.

The forest paths have been resurfaced since I last ran in the forest. Definitely a more pleasurable run than I remembered. A solitary dog walker was the only other person we saw as we ran around the edge of the demesne. It was good to have company. The serried ranks of conifers can be a trifle oppressive when running by yourself.

We finished our run back at the car park beside Ballinameen Bridge with Lord Garvagh's Egyptian inspired vault ,(unused) , looking down at us. Another day's training concluded.

Errigal Glen




Errigal Bridge 3rd August 2012

 

When I was out driving today I decided to go for a short walk through Errigal Glen, Churchtown near Garvagh. The glen is in private ownership but the public have access to the path that runs through the glen and which links Temple Road to Churchtown Road. It was a day where I needed the solicitude of solitude and the walk suited my mood. I parked in the lay bye near to Errigal Bridge and headed up the steeply sided glen. It is heavily wooded with many very large beech trees which were planted by the Heyland family some two hundred years ago.

It is a descendant of the same family who still owns the glen , the adjoining lands and the eighteenth century Ballintemple House which is visible a field width away from the glen. The Heylands were one of the first, "planter," families in Ulster. They arrived in Derry in 1611 before moving to Castleroe, Coleraine in 1641. It was from there that they moved to Ballintemple in the eighteenth century. One of their number, Major Arthur Rowley Heyland of the 40th Regiment of Foot died at the Battle of Waterloo after having survived the Peninsular War and being wounded at the battle of Talavera and again at Roncevalles.Two of his sons subsequently fought in the Crimea.

Running through the glen is the Agivey River. Although it is not always to be seen from the path the sound of the river is always present, sometimes a pleasing gurgle but at other times an urgent roar where the walls of the glen close in and restrict its course.

Once I had joined the Churchtown Road  I followed it up hill, passing the rear of Ballintemple House and then headed down hill to Temple Road and back to Errigal Bridge. Probably no more than a two mile walk but the glen is a place to linger in and to enjoy the scenery.

Errigal Glen - 3rd August 2012

Errigal Glen - 3rd August 2012



Horses at Ballintemple House - 3rd August 2012



Craigavon Bridge - Happy Birthday

Commemorative Programme for official
opening of Craigavon Bridge

Today marks the seventy ninth anniversary of the official opening of the Craigavon Bridge by Sir Percy Walter Greenaway the Lord Mayor of London. The bridge is named after the Right Hon. The Viscount Craigavon the then Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. As with its predecessor, the Carlisle Bridge, the lower deck of the new bridge was constructed for railway traffic and had timber decking.

The opening ceremony appears to have been a very grandiose affair. A total of thirty three official cars were at the front of the procession and they were followed by three State Coaches. In the last of these was Sir Walter Greenaway accompanied by his wife, the Lady Mayoress, and attended by The Sword Bearer and The Common Cryer and Sergeant-at-Arms. The Procession assembled in Ebrington Military Barracks and proceeded to the new bridge via Limavady Road, Clooney Terrace and Spencer Road. On arrival  a  guard of honour provided by the 2nd Batt. The Leicestershire Regiment was inspected by the Lord Mayor. The naming and official opening occurred at 11.15 immediately after a commemorative golden dagger had been presented to him.

Following the opening ceremony the procession proceeded to the Diamond where it was met by a Guard of Honour of the British Legion and the Band of the Royal Ulster Constabulary. A wreath was laid at the war memorial by Sir Walter. From the Diamond the procession progressed to the Guilhall where a further Guard of Honour was inspected. Those taking part in the State Procession then moved to the Council Chamber where the Freedom of The City was bestowed upon the Lord Mayor. A celebratory luncheon followed. The festivities continued with a garden party at Brooke Park hosted by Sir Dudley and Lady McCorkell, Mayor and Mayoress of Londonderry. The day concluded with Sir Percy Greenaway and his wife, accompanied by the Sheriffs, leaving Waterside Railway Station by special train.