Moray HER - NJ24NE0020 - TELFORD BRIDGE, CRAIGELLACHIE

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Primary ReferenceNJ24NE0020
NameTELFORD BRIDGE, CRAIGELLACHIE
NRHE Card No.NJ24NE15
NRHE Numlink 16336
HES SM No. NULL
HES LB No. 2357
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Complete 1
Details 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.
Last Update06/05/2021
Updated Bycpalmer
Compiler 
Date of Compilation 

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National Grid Reference: NJ 2853 4519



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Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
BRIDGESCAST-IRON A100
BRIDGESROADSINGLE-SPANB100
STRUTSRADIAL C100
ARCHES  D100
ABUTMENTSASHLAR E100
TERMINALS CASTELLATEDF100