User:The C of E/bb
Boyne Bridge | |
|---|---|
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| Locale | Belfast, Northern Ireland |
| Official name | Great Bridge of Belfast |
| Other name(s) | Saltwater Bridge |
| Named for | Battle of the Boyne |
| History | |
| Opened | 1611 |
| Rebuilt | 1642 1936 |
The Boyne Bridge is a bridge in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was built in 1936 and there had been a bridge on the site since 1611 and was traditionally held as having been crossed by King William III crossed the bridge's predecessor. It is scheduled for demolition in 2024.
History
[edit]The location of the Boyne Bridge first had a bridge constructed at a crossing by Sandy Row in 1611.[1] In 1642, it was then replaced with the Great Bridge of Belfast in 1642, also becoming known as the Saltwater Bridge.[1][2] In 1690, during the Williamite War in Ireland, local tradition holds that King William III crossed over the bridge on the way to the Battle of the Boyne.[3]
In 1936, the Saltwater Bridge was reconstructed and encapsulated by the newly built Boyne Bridge, named after the tradition.[4] In 2017, Translink proposed to demolish the bridge as part of redevelopment plans for the new Belfast Grand Central station. This was protested by local residents on heritage grounds, citing the King William tradition and that it was part of the brickworks that constructed Belfast Castle, and requested it be refurbished or included in the new development.[5] Proposals were also made to grant the Boyne Bridge listed building status.[2] Translink argued that the bridge was not over a street or river so demolishing it would create a new roadway after the closure of Belfast Great Victoria Street railway station.[4] The proposal to grant the bridge listed status failed as the Department for Communities ruled there was no specific architectural interest to list it.[6]
The decision to demolish the bridge was approved in 2019 though campaigners in 2021 requested a ministerial review.[7] Demolition was scheduled for October 2024, with Translink stating the bridge would be "sensitively dismantled" while the roads to it would be closed for 12 months.[8]
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Sandy Row protest to save the Boyne Bridge". Belfast Media. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ a b "Belfast group launches petition to protect the 1642 bridge". News Letter. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ "Last parade takes place over Boyne Bridge ahead of demolition for Belfast Grand Central Station". Belfasttelegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ a b "Boyne Bridge: Road to close for a year for demolition". BBC News. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ "Protest staged to 'save Belfast's Boyne Bridge'". BBC News. 9 August 2017. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ "Decision not to list Boyne bridge 'nonsensical'". Irish News. 10 October 2017. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ "Minister urged to review Boyne Bridge demolition decision". Irish News. 15 March 2021. Retrieved 2024-10-08.
- ^ "Boyne Bridge to be 'sensitively dismantled', Translink promises as key Belfast city centre road to be closed for up to 12 months". Irish News. Retrieved 2024-10-08.