Building record MAB6010 - TELFORD BRIDGE, CRAIGELLACHIE

Road Bridge, now disused, built in 1812-1814, strengthened in 1902, restored in 1964, and formally closed to vehicular traffic in 1972.

Road Bridge, now disused, built in 1812-1814, strengthened in 1902, restored in 1964, and formally closed to vehicular traffic in 1972. It is the oldest surviving monumental cast iron bridge in Scotland. Designed by Thomas Telford, it has a single iron span of 45.7m, or 150 foot, with four parallel arches, each formed by a shallow, cross braced arch, above which the spandrels carrying the roadway are filled with a system of very slender radial struts forming lattice-girder braces, linking the arch to the roadway. It is supported by rustic ashlar abutments, with castellated terminals and rubble wing walls to the south, with similar end turrets flanking the bridge at the north with the abutments keyed into the cliff side. Telford used his normal ironmaster William Hazeldine ('Merlin') and the ironwork was cast at Plas Kynaston. The ironwork was erected by William Stuttle, Telford's foreman, and the stonework was by John Simpson, mason, of Shrewsbury. There is a cast-iron plaque with an inscription reading reads 'Cast at Plas Kynaston Ruabon Denbighshire 1814'. A further plaque records the restoration of the bridge by Banffshire, Moray and Nairn County Councils in 1964. The design took into account the possibility of floods by placing the bridge on abutments 3.7m above normal water level. Although the main span withstood the great flood of 1829, the flood arches were unfortunately washed away. It is considered to be one of the finest cast iron bridges in Britain and is the oldest surviving one in Scotland. The cost of building it was £8,200 with the money coming from the Parliamentary Commissioners and by local subscribers. It formerly carried the A941 public road over the River Spey between the parishes of Knockando and Aberlour. The bridge was used on 14th September 1994 as the location for a meeting between the Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons) and the Gordon Highlanders, prior to the merging of the units into the Highlanders (Seaforth, Gordons and Camerons). The Gordon Highlanders approached from the Banffshire side of the bridge, while the Queen's Own Highlanders approached from the Moray side.

Period Notes
It was built in 1812 -15. The flood arches were washed away in the Muckle Spate flood of 1829. Restoration work was carried out in 1964, and it was by-passed in 1972. It was designated on 22/02/1972, and de-scheduled on 24/01/2006.

HAGUE, DB, 1972, ARCH.JOURNAL VOL.91,205, 205 (Bibliographic reference). SAB744.

Hume, JR, 1977, Industrial Archaeology of Scotland, 168 (Bibliographic reference). SAB730.

Jun 6 2013 , AAS-GR-13-06-155 - 177, AAS-GR-13-06-155 - 177 (Ground Photograph). SAB34889.

Jun 11 2008 , DG8996,8998-9, DG8996,8998-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB32208.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, ABERLOUR,9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., INSIDE MORAY, 09/01/2015 (Bibliographic reference). SAB873.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 01/08/81 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 07/08/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 11/04/1999 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 19/08/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 21/08/82 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Oct 16 1984 , DT 7a-12, DT 7a-12 (Ground Photograph). SAB30414.

Record last edited

May 6 2021 12:35PM