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Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders

This aqueduct, crossing the Kelvin, is the major engineering structure on the Forth & Clyde Canal. It was built

from 1787–90, under Whitworth’s direction by William Gibb and John Muir of Falkirk at a cost of £9058. The

aqueduct was Gibb’s last work before his death in 1791. He was the founder of an engineering dynasty which eventually became Sir Alexander Gibb & Partners. His family motto was Fides Praestantior Auro (to keep faith is better than riches), and in completing the aqueduct within the contract time he is reputed to have made a devastating loss, such was his integrity.

The aqueduct is 400 ft long, 68 ft high, and has four arches of 50 ft span. The distinctive features of the aqueduct are the curved retaining walls adjoining the water channel which act as horizontal or lateral arches giving rise to significant reactions at the piers which are resisted by substantial buttressing. This feature was similar to that employed by Smeaton and Mackell to the same span at Luggie Aqueduct 15 years earlier.

The Kelvin aqueduct was the largest in Europe in 1790. It is also noteworthy for the variety ofmason marks to be seen on the stonework, particularly near ground level.

R Paxton and J Shipway 2007

Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Lowlands and Borders' with kind permission of Thomas Telford Puslishers.