Publication Account
Date 1987
Event ID 1016829
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016829
Perth Bridge was designed by John Smeaton, better known as the engineer of the Eddystone Lighthouse and the Forth and Clyde Canal. The bridge replaced an awkward and dangerous ferry which had been in operation since the destruction of an earlier Perth Bridge in 1621. The old bridge, built in 1616, had been a low structure with insufficient room under the arches to accommodate flood water and the first major flood after its erection saw its destruction. Some idea of the problem can be seen in the inscriptions on the west pier of Smeaton's bridge. These inscriptions facing the North Inch, depict various flood levels since the bridge's construction. The river level rose 4.5m in February 1950, 4m in 1931, 5m in June 1859 and 5.8m in 1814. The problem is now reduced since the erection of the Hydro-Electric dam at Pitlochry.
Smeaton was aware of these problems and, to protect the foundations, he constructed the cut-waters for the piers inside coffer dams. These can still be seen when the river is low. The bridge has nine arches with blind openings in the spandrels and a total span of 268m. On its completion there were great celebrations in Perth: copper 'halfpenny' tokens were struck depicting the bridge and the dance tune 'The Bridge of Perth' was composed in its honour.
By the mid 19th century the bridge was considered to be too narrow for the traffic using it In 1869 the stone parapets were removed and iron brackets were used to support new footpaths and cast iron parapets on either side.
In 1859 this became the only bridge over the River Tay to carry a public tramway system. The Perth-Scone tramway used the bridge for thirty-four years. Horse-drawn trams were used until 1905 when the service was electrified. The service closed in January 1929.
There is an inscription cast into the iron panel of the parapet at each end of the bridge. It reads:
'Bridge built 1766-
William Stewart, Lord Provost
John Smeaton, Engineer.
Bridge widened 1869-
John Pullar, Lord Provost
A. D. Stewart, Engineer.'
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Fife and Tayside’, (1987).