Archaeology Notes

Event ID 720297

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/720297

NT73SW 64.01 72791 33614

Kelso Bridge [NAT]

OS 1:10,000 map, 1993.

Not to be confused with Kelso, Teviot Bridge, for which see NT73SW 79.

For (predecessor) Old Bridge (apparently at the same location), see NT73SW 64.00.

For adjacent pillbox and tollhouse, see NT73SW 103 and NT73SW 110, respectively.

NMRS REFERENCE

Architect: John Rennie, 1800-3

EXTERNAL REFERENCE:

Scots Mag. XVI, p303 - 1st stone of existing bridge laid, June 17th 1754

Scottish Record Office

Kelso Bridge: a payment of £40 towards the bridge.

Cash Book.

1802 GD 157/894

(Undated) information in NMRS.

Kelso Bridge was built 1800-1803, engineer John Rennie. Hume notes that it is one of his finest and, in design, was a precursor to Waterloo Bridge in London. The 5-span bridge has the Rennie 'signature' level carriageway, which is generally unusual for a bridge of this date. The cutwaters are rounded below Doric columns which are repeated on the abutments. There is also a dentilated stringcourse which is echoed in the nearby tollhouse (NT73SW 110).

J R Hume 1976.

Kelso Bridge and Toll-house, 1800-3, John Rennie. Level carriageway supported on five elliptical arches, the piers built off rounded cutwaters which carry paired engaged Doric columns. At the W end, cast-iron lamps salvaged from Rennie's London Bridge on its demolition in the 1930's.

Kelso was his first major bridge, replacing that (NT73SW 64.00) of 1754 (swept away in 1797). Sir William Fairbairn, Kelsonian (1789-1874), the mechanical engineer, worked here as a 14-year old, being almost crippled by a falling stone.

C A Strang 1994.

Kelso Bridge. Descheduled.

Information from Historic Scotland, Certificate of Exclusion from Schedule dated 23 February 1996.

This bridge carries the A698 public road across the River Tweed to the S of Kelso.

The location assigned to this record defines the centre of the span. The available map evidence indicates that it extends from NT c. 72825 33655 to NT c. 72735 33550.

Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 1 February 2006.