Luib Bridge

The site of this earthwork lies on the lower south-eastern flank of Tom na Dubh-bhruaich overlooking Luib Bridge, in an area now occupied by a dense coniferous plantation. It is depicted as a rectangular enclosure on both the first and second editions of the OS six-inch map, and is traditionally associated with Corgarff Castle.

Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project

NJ20NE 4 2634 0881.

(NJ 2634 0881) Site of Camp (NAT).

OS 6" map, Aberdeen, 2nd ed., (1903)

'...a small camp supposed to have been occupied by General Wade, whilst employed making the road from Edinburgh to Fort George (sic); others say it was made by General Ancrum in 1745 as a position to reduce the castle of Corgarff, then held by the rebels; there is no appearance of it ever having been fortified, but the track of the drains are quite distinct'.

Name Book 1867.

'The rectangular camp ... is still fairly traceable. It is not impossible that this earthwork may have been thrown up by Montrose to shelter his baggage when he camped at Corgarff in June, 1645 ... More likely, perhaps, this earthwork represents an encampment of a working party of the Hanoverian soldiers during the reconstruction of the castle'.

W D Simpson 1949.

Vague traces of a bank are visible forming a roughly rectangular enclosure c.54.0m. by c.40.0m.

Surveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (R L) 7 December 1966.

On the date of visit no trace of any earthworks were seen in a dense coniferous plantation.

Visited by RCAHMS (PC, SPH), 16 March 1998

The recorded location falls on a shelf on the lower slope of Tom na Dubh, a hill within a loop of the River Don, and at a altitide of 404m OD. The area is afforested with scrub and conifers.

NMRS, MS.712/41.