Publication Account
Date 1985
Event ID 1016155
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016155
In the early 17th century, the main road from Edinburgh to the Merse, via Soutra, was described as 'so worne and spoylled as hardlie is thair any
journaying on horse or fute ... botwith haisard and perrell'.
And although the first Scottish Turnpike Act was passed in 1750, it was 1840 before Thomas Telford's grand new turnpike between Dalkeith and Greenlaw was finally ready. The modem road is essentially Telford's road, and his graceful Lothian Bridge still carries all its traffic.
Built in 1827-31 of well-dressed stone, it has 5 spans of flattened segmental arches, very similar to those of his Dean Bridge over the Water of Leith in Edinburgh (1829-31). The arches rise some 24 m from the river, to a 15 m span.
In carrying the new road over the peaceful Tyne, the bridge superceded the ford which gave its name to the attractive village in the valley bottom. Pathhead, by contrast, reflects the top of the track which climbed steeply up, south from the ford: it is essentially a mid-18 th century village of one-and two-storeyed houses built in a long line both sides of the curving, uphill
A 68. Much renovated, the earlier roofs are pantiled and more steeply-pitched, and on No. 101 a carved stone bears the royal warrant mark of the leatherworkers.
Not far to the south of Path head a temporary Roman camp has been identified from crop-markings recorded on aerial photographs. It may be that the Roman road, on its way towards Eskbank or Dalkeith, crossed at the ford and continued northward very much along the line of the present impressively straight road through Chesterhill and Edgehead.
Nearby is the linear estate village of Dewartown (NT 378641); also the Dewar family's uncompromisingly massive Victorian mansion house of 1875 at Vogrie (NT 380632). The estate, with its attractive early 19th century Gothic stable-block, is now a country park.
Information from 'Exploring Scotland's Heritage: Lothian and Borders' (1985).
