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Gairnshiel Bridge
Road Bridge (Period Unassigned)
Site Name Gairnshiel Bridge
Classification Road Bridge (Period Unassigned)
Alternative Name(s) Glen Gairn; River Gairn; Gairnshiel Lodge, Bridge; Muir Of Gairnshiel
Canmore ID 16290
Site Number NJ20SE 1
NGR NJ 29488 00862
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/16290
- Council Aberdeenshire
- Parish Glenmuick, Tullich And Glengairn
- Former Region Grampian
- Former District Kincardine And Deeside
- Former County Aberdeenshire
This single-arched rubble-built bridge, which crosses the River Gairn just north of Gairnshiel Lodge, originally formed part of the network of military roads in this region. It now carries the modern A939 public road which follows the line of the older road.
Built in 1751, it still survives in very good condition.
Text prepared by RCAHMS as part of the Accessing Scotland's Past project
NJ20SE 1 29488 00862
Not to be confused with Kirkstyle Bridge (NJ 29893 01079), for which see NJ20SE 48.
See also NJ20SE 3.
Single-span military bridge.
Visited by OS (NKB) February 1967.
(Location cited as NJ 294 008). Gairnshiel Bridge: built 1751. A large single segmental rubble arch, with steeply humped carriageway.
J R Hume 1977.
(Location cited as NJ 295 008). Gairnshiel Bridge: this steeply-humped and handsome stone arch crosses the River Gairn. It was built by Caulfield [Caulfeild] in 1751 as part of the Blairgowrie-Glenshee-Braemar-Lecht-Fort George military road project. The bridges were constructed by civilian contractors, rather than soldiers.
The arch measures 56ft 8in [17.3m] in span, being built of coursed rubble with thin voussoirs and a parapet edging of thin flags. The parapet is 41ins [1.04m] at the top, but slopes down to as little as 8ins [203mm]. There is no ornament.
G Nelson 1990.
This bridge carries the A939 public road (formerly the Coupar Angus-Fort George military road, NJ20SE 3) over the River Gairn. It is depicted (but not noted) on the current edition of the OS 1:10,000 map [undated].
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 22 August 1997.
Publication Account (2007)
Gairnshiel Bridge
A fine example of a Caulfeild ‘military’ bridge on the same road as the Brig o’ Dee at Invercauld (3-7), from Blairgowrie to Fort George. This bridge, now carrying the A939 road over the Gairn in a single arch of 5612
ft span was built in ca.1753. It is characteristic of its type in having steep
approaches, being made of well-built rubble masonry (granite) with parallel side walls, a segmental arch-ring consisting of narrow partly dressed stones of about 314ft random depth and a roadway 1214 ft wide between parapets walls 18 in. thick.
R Paxton and J Shipway, 2007.
Reproduced from 'Civil Engineering heritage: Scotland - Highlands and Islands' with kind permission from Thomas Telford Publishers.
