Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders
Date 2007
Event ID 609935
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/609935
The elegant William IV or ‘New’ Bridge, Stirling was built from 1829–32 to the design of Robert Stevenson, was the most seaward road crossing of the Forth for more than a century until Kincardine Bridge was opened.
The bridge, now carrying the A9, has five segmental masonry arch spans ranging from 5312 ft–65 ft with radially oriented masonry in the spandrel faces. The foundation stone was laid in March 1831 and every arch-stone, which increased in depth from the crown towards the springing, was numbered as a guide to its position in the finished work. Stevenson’s son David helped to dress at least one of the greenstone archstones.
Someof the foundationswere built on platforms on timber piles. The contractorwas Keith Mathieson of Stirling and the Resident Inspector was George Middlemiss who had just finished acting in a similar capacity atMontrose Suspension Bridge for Capt. S. Brown. The cost was about £17 000.
R Paxton and J Shipway 2007
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
