Archaeology Notes
Event ID 845580
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/845580
NS56NE 2909 56859 67865
Kirklee Bridge [NAT]
OS 1:1250 map, 1973.
Kirklee Bridge, Kirklee Road: built 1899-1900 for Glasgow Corporation Highways Dept, by Forman and McCall, Engineers. A high semi-elliptical masonry span with anrrow semicircular arches on each side. The main span is flanked by pairs of granite Ionic columns, and there are low-relief carvings of the arms of Glasgow in the spandrels.
J R Hume 1974.
Kirklee Bridge, from Kirklee Road to Clouston Street, 1899-1901. Engineer Charles Formans of Formans and McCall; contractor William and Charles Watson. Probably the best stone bridge in Glasgow; certainly the most exuberant. In its high semi-elliptical arch and pairs of Ionic columns at the abutments, it adheres precisely to the architecture of Robert Mylne's Blackfriars Bridge in London (1760-9, demolished 1864) and the Piranesi engraving from which Mylne drew his inspiration, spurning later adaptations by Rennie (at Kelso, and at waterloo Bridge, London) and others.
It is of red sandstone, except the Ionic columns and the balustrades, which are of polished pink granite. The entablature over the columns lines up with a fine cornice over the large arch. Projecting mouldings outline the border of each spandrel and the circumference of a circle inscribed in it; and filling the circle, also in relief, are the arms of the city - all this carved in situ on the coursed sandstone of the facades. Tall tunnels through both abutments are of V-jointed ashlar, and entered through semicircular arches with carved keystones. The soffit of the large arch is also V-jointed.
Public parkland on the W bank allows good access and views of the bridge.
E Williamson, A Riches and M Higgs 1990.
Like the [nearby] Belmont Street Bridge (NS56NE 2152), this is an exteremely grand and imposing Victorian structure in red sandstone and granite. The main river span is a high arch flanked by pairs of granite columns, with low-relief carvings of the Arms of Glasgow in the spandrels. The land spans consist of narrow but high arches, making perdestrian passage through them a rather daunting experience. The original wrought-iron balustrade lamps havre been removed, but it is hoped that they will (as elsewhere) be restored.
D Boyce 1996.
This bridge carries Kirklee Road across the River Kelvin to the NE of Kelvingrove Park (NS56NE 328). The river here forms the boundary between the parishes of Govan (to the NW) and Glasgow (to the SE).
The location cited defines the centre of the structure. The available map evidence indicates that it extends from NS c. 56852 67873 to NS c. 56872 67850.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 5 December 2005.
