Craigellachie Bridge. Illustration of the bridge from the 1838 Atlas to the Life of Thomas Telford. The steep rock face to the north is clearly visible on the right side. At each end of the structure there are two 15 m (49 ft) high masonry mock-medieval towers, featuring arrow slits and miniature crenellated battlements. The south abutment of the bridge in 2003 The bridge was in regular use until 1963, when it was closed for a major refurbishment. The side railings and spandrel members were replaced with new ironwork fabricated to match the originals. Gallery[edit] View of spandrel, arch and abutmentLooking downstream towards the bridge, with the replacement in the backgroundSide view showing arch, spandrel, deck and parapet Bibliography[edit] Nelson, Gillian.
References[edit] External links[edit] Coordinates: Craigellachie Feature Page on Undiscovered Scotland. Craigellachie lies at the very heart of Speyside. This is the place where the two rivers most closely associated with the Scotch Whisky industry, the Spey and the Fiddich, meet. Craigellachie is built on and around the north facing bluff defined by the two river valleys. The name means rocky hill and was first applied to the cliff on which much of the village is sited, above the River Spey. Craigellachie dates back to at least 1750, when there was a ferry across the Spey below where the village stands. Parts of the village are very attractive: if there was a "Post Offices in Bloom" competition, then Craigellachie's, situated in the highly floral main street, would be a strong contender.
The upper areas of Craigellachie are more functional, though still with some fine buildings like the primary school. Craigellachie's second distillery is The Macallan, which does have a visitor centre. Outside Craigellachie on the Dufftown road is the Speyside Cooperage. Overview of Craigellachie Bridge. The Craigellachie Bridge is a remarkable A-listed cast-iron structure which crosses the River Spey a quarter-mile (0.5 km) west northwest of Craigellachie in Moray. The work of renowned engineer Thomas Telford (1757 - 1834), the bridge was constructed 1812-15 and represents the oldest surviving iron bridge in Scotland. The dramatic latticed single span extends to 45.7m (150 feet) gently curving between two 15-m (49-foot) high battlemented masonry abutments. The ironwork was cast to Telford's exacting specifications in North Wales and brought by sea to Speymouth, where the sections were loaded onto wagons and transported overland to Craigellachie.
The bridge was refurbished in 1963-4 and was in regular use until 1972, when it was replaced by a modern bridge a short distance downstream. This fine structure is well-preserved, remains open to pedestrians and has been proposed as a World Heritage Site. Craigellachie Bridge (Craigellachie, 1814) | Structurae. Heritage Locations - Craigellachie Bridge. The oldest surviving cast-iron bridge in Scotland. Craigellachie Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge located in Speyside, near to the village of Aberlour. Designed by Thomas Telford FRS, it was built from 1812-1814; the original plan was for a lower bridge, but Telford took advice from local people and raised it by several feet.
It was the only bridge on the Spey to survive the great floods of 1829. The bridge has a single span of approximately 46 m. (151 ft) and was revolutionary for its time, in that it used an extremely slender arch which was not possible using traditional masonry construction. At each end of the structure there are two 15 metres (49 ft) high masonry mock-medieval towers, featuring arrow slits and miniature crenellated battlements. The bridge was in regular use until 1963, when it was closed for a major refurbishment. The black plaque (see image 4) reads: Craigellachie Bridge, designed and built by Thomas Telford, 1814 The foreground plaque reads: Ironfounder and erector.
Craigellachie Bridge. Craigellachie, Scotland Completed 1814 Claim to Fame: The elegant 150-foot-span cast iron arch of the Craigellachie Bridge is the earliest surviving example of a new portable lattice-braced standard type developed for use at wide sites unsuitable for masonry spans. "Telford's most beautiful iron bridge was built at Craigellachie in Scotland over the Spey, a turbulent mountain stream that furnished a magnificent setting. " David B. Steinman and Ruth Watson, Bridges and Their Builders.
This elegant cast iron arch bridge designed by Scotland's famous Thomas Telford was built from 1812 to 1814. Craigellachie Bridge demonstrates Telford's mastery of the use of iron for long span bridges. Craigellachie Bridge was in general use until 1964 when it was reconstructed above the arch ribs by W.W Lowson a partner of W.A. Resources 1. Craigellachie Bridge, Moray | Historic Scotland Guide. Spanning the River Spey The lovely 19th century cast iron Craigellachie Bridge spans the River Spey. It was designed by famed Scottish engineer Thomas Telford, who was responsible for so many other 'firsts' in Britain. Telford's bridge is the oldest surviving cast iron bridge in Scotland, and was widely regarded as an engineering triumph when it was built in 1814.
Telford had to design a bridge to cross the Spey in a single span, to allow for sudden periods of violent flooding to which the Spey was prone. The bridge was cast at Plas Kynaston ironworks in Wales, then went on a long journey by canal, ship, and finally by wagon, to reach its destination at Craigellachie. View from the modern road bridge A local story - unsubstantiated I must hasten to add - says that the bridge was intended for a different project. The bridge runs parallel to the modern road bridge. The bridge is very poorly signposted; I wouldn't have found the parking area if I hadn't been specifically looking for it. Craigellachie, Old Bridge over River Spey (telford Bridge) - Aberlour - Moray - Scotland.
Old Bridge, Craigellachie. Old Bridge, Craigellachie River Spey, Craigellachie, Moray associated engineer Thomas Telford date 1812 - 1814era Georgian | category Bridge | reference NJ285451ICE reference number HEW 24 photo ICE archive This single, latticed span over the River Spey is the oldest surviving iron bridge in Scotland.
It cost £8,200 to build, outspending its original estimate by £200, was commemorated in a poem by Southey in 1819 and justly added to Telford's fame as an engineer. Recognising the properties of his material, Telford designed a far lighter bridge than stone would ever have allowed. The abutments carry the span at 12ft above normal water level to allow for flooding, and this precaution allowed the bridge to withstand the floods of 1829, when the Spey rose by 15.5ft. 50ft tall, hollow, castellated stone towers top the abutments, providing heavy contrast to the delicacy of the ironwork.
Craigellachie Bridge was restored in 1964 and bypassed in 1972. Location Map Data Map data ©2014 Google. Scottish Highland Bridges. Aberdeenshire Council Sites and Monuments Record - Moray - NJ24NE0020 - TELFORD BRIDGE, CRAIGELLACHIE. The Happy Pontist: Scottish Bridges: 40. Craigellachie Bridge. I guess that of all the bridges we visited in Scotland, this was by far the best known. As the "further information" section at the end of this post suggests, this is a very well-documented bridge, so I will say as little as possible about its history, and concentrate on how it looks today. The facts, in brief: spanning 150 feet across the River Spey, Craigellachie Bridge was designed by Thomas Telford.
It was his second cast iron arch road bridge of this type, the first being the now-gone Bonar Bridge. The bridge at Craigellachie was completed in 1814 at a cost of £8,200. On the day that we visited, which as with most of our trip was particularly wet, it was hard to appreciate the bridge at its best. Compare Carron Bridge, which we had visited just over an hour beforehand. The arch ribs on Carron are flat-faced girders, whereas Telford's bridge used pierced-web girders. This factor also accounts for the noticeably heavier spandrel members at Carron. Further information: Site Record for Craigellachie, Telford Bridge Craigellachie Bridge; Craigellachie Pot; River Spey; Old BridgeDetails Details. Alternative Names Craigellachie Bridge; Craigellachie Pot; River Spey; Old BridgeSite Type ROAD BRIDGECanmore ID 16336Site Number NJ24NE 15NGR NJ 28532 45194Council MORAYParish KNOCKANDOFormer Region GRAMPIANFormer District MORAYFormer County MORAYSHIREDatum OSGB36 - NGR Canmore MappingView this site on a map Treasured Places - HLF funded Built between 1812-15, the Craigellachie Bridge spans the River Spey and was designed by engineer Thomas Telford.
It is the oldest surviving cast-iron bridge in Scotland and is considered one of the finest of its type in Britain. Castellated stone abutments support four ribs that form the single arch of the bridge, above which the roadway is carried by latticed girders. Information from RCAHMS (SC) 6 August 2007 An image of this site has been nominated as one of Scotland's favourite archive images. Archaeological Notes Telford Bridge [NAT] OS 1:10,000 map, 1976. Telford Bridge [NAT] OS (GIS) AIB, April 2006. NMRS REFERENCE: Architect: Thomas Telford, 1815. Thomas Telford. Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE (1757–1834) was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.
After establishing himself as an engineer of road and canal projects in Shropshire, he designed numerous infrastructure projects in his native Scotland, as well as harbours and tunnels. Such was his reputation as a prolific designer of highways and related bridges, he was dubbed The Colossus of Roads, and, reflecting his command of all types of civil engineering in the early 19th century, he was elected as the first President of the Institution of Civil Engineers, a post he retained for 14 years until his death. Early career[edit] Telford was born on 9 August 1757 at Glendinning, a hill farm 3 miles west of Eskdalemuir Kirk, in the rural parish of Westerkirk, in Eskdale, Dumfriesshire. His father John Telford, a shepherd, died soon after Thomas was born.
Thomas was raised in poverty by his mother Janet Jackson (d.1794).[1] Ellesmere Canal[edit] Thomas Telford. Craigellachie Village Council - Speyside. Microsoft Word - craigellachie.docx - Tapani_Saarinen.pdf. The Reconstruction of the Craigellachie Bridge - Articles - The Institution of Structural Engineers.