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Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands
Date 2007
Event ID 929742
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/929742
Cullen Harbour
This small fishing harbour with two basins is typical of those constructed under the auspices of the Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges. The North Pier, built from 1817–19 by William Minto to a design by Telford,
comprised coursed masonry walls enclosing rubble infill.
During construction it was found necessary to build a breakwater to prevent the accumulation of sand against its inner face.
In 1835 the enclosed harbour was enlarged by demolishing the breakwater and re-siting it to form the present West Pier. At the same time, to reduce wave action in the harbour during adverse weather conditions, the inner
jetty was constructed to form a stilling basin.
In 1886–87 the North Pierwas extended to provide protection to the entrance of the harbour. This was constructed of inner and outer mass concrete walls infilled with rubble. The engineer was John Willet and the contractor, R. C. Brebner. The harbour is now used mainly for recreational
activities.
The harbour and town are dominated by the three now disused railway masonry viaducts with brick arch-rings completed on the Great North of Scotland Railway coastal line in 1886 under the direction of its engineer P. M. Barnett of Blyth & Cunningham. The nearest viaduct to the harbour is in two parts, one with 13 arches, and the other of eight arches passes over the Cullen Burn at a height of 77 ft.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
