Aberdeen City HER - NJ90SW0043 - BRIDGE OF DEE

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ90SW0043
NameBRIDGE OF DEE
NRHE Card No.NJ90SW3
NRHE Numlink 20269
HES SM No. NULL
HES LB No. 20068
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Complete 2
Details Bridge of seven spans with dressed-stone ribbed arch rings, built in the early 16th century and consisting of seven semi-circular rib arches. Triangular cutwaters extended up to form semi-hexagonal pedestrian refuges which are decorated on the outer wall with coats of arms and tooled inscriptions, bearing the dates 1520 and 1525. The bridge is built of coursed granite ashlar lightly stugged with a coped parapet. There are splayed wing walls the terminations with polygonal caps and ball finials. On the southeast wing wall is a sundial, with replacement gnomen, and inscribed 'AQ MR O BW 1719', which stand for Alexander Wilson, Master of Bridge Works, 1719. The bridge was built for Bishop Dunbar in circa 1520-7 by Thomas Franche, master mason, and Alexander Galloway, master of works. It was repaired in 1718-19 by Alexander Riach, 1721 and 1773 when its south port was demolished. In was widened by four ribs on the east side in 1841-2 by engineer John Smith the original facings being replaced as far as possible. In the middle of the 16th century Lady's Chapel of the Bridge (see also NJ90SW0167, NJ90SW0531) was built near the north end and a timber port (gateway) was also added, replaced by a stone one in 1597. The chapel and port were removed towards the end of the 18th century. In 1639 the bridge was the site of a skirmish in which Montrose and the Covenanters won the bridge from the royalists. A charter dated 1384 indicates a much earlier bridge over the Dee although the exact location has not been established - see NJ90SW0041. A watching brief carried out by S Buchanan in April 2007 during groundworks for two cairns to hold site interpretation panels recorded no features or artefacts of archaeological significance.
Last Update17/01/2023
Updated Bycpalmer
CompilerACU
Date of Compilation13/09/2017

Google Map for NJ90SW0043

National Grid Reference: NJ 9290 0355



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2007 Watching-Brief aberdeen3-53368

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
BATTLES SITE OFL100
COAT-OF-ARMS  B100
PANELSSTONEINSCRIBEDC100
CHAPELS SITE OFD100
GATEWAYS SITE OFE100
SKIRMISHES SITE OFG100
PARAPETS COPEDH100
FINIALSBALL I100
SUNDIALS  J100
DATESTONES  K100
BRIDGES  A100