THE ANCIENT IN . 51

IV.

THE ANCIENT BRIDGES IN SCOTLAND, AND THEIR RELATION TO THE ROMAN AND MEDIEVAL BRIDGES IN EUROPE. BY HARRY . INGLISG . R , F.S.A. SCOT. One of the most striking and important features in the story of the Ancient f Scotlano s thas i d t ther certaie ear n distinct periods morn i e recent history when almos stono n t e bridges appea havo t r e been built thid an s; breac continuitn hi reflectioe y th seem e b o f st n o lona g perio earlien a t da r age ,years 0 when80 r , ,fo betwee close nth e of the Roman Occupation and the Scottish War of Independence, the building of stone bridges would appear to have been a lost art. Bridge-buildin facn i fairla s tgi y modern developmente th f o r fo , 1400 important road bridges in Scotland at the present time, some- thing like 1000 have been built since 1745, while only abou200 t were constructed between 1630 and 1745 ; and to go back to about 1630, there were then only about 220 fair-sized bridges in the whole of Scotland. In other words, bridge-building in the last century was at the rate of 10 to 15 per annum ; previous to 1745 only 2 or 3 per annum ; and before that, from the records gathered, one bridge per annum (and seldom even that) seems to have been the average rate of construction. In these circumstances, it is fair to assume that, allowing for broken bridges, there would not be many stone bridges prior to 1400. Of the 220 bridges existing in Scotland in 1630, only about 67 are left in one form or another, none in their original state ; all the others have been washed away or entirely rebuilt. thir fo s s reasoi t I n tha t i appeart s almost useles expeco t s o t t find any complete Roman bridges over in Britain. If nearly every structur e thirteentth f o e d fourteenthan h centur s gonha y e 152 PROCEEDINGS OE THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

in 500 years, how can we expect others to remain for 1500 years, when thos Romn ei e itself care , th wit el bestowehal themn do , have ceased to exist ? The records show that the average life of a stone bridge does not seem to be much more than from 70 to 100 years. Storms, , frost, and sun, playing upon the fabric alternately, will ruin the strongest buildin course th trame n gf timei th e o d f horsespo an , ' hoofs sends tremors throug e wholhth e structure. mus rebuilte b t , retaining walls strengthened, parapets. straightened, to keep it in repair. bridgd Indeedol examination y o e an , storn n ow ytell s it s of weakness d onlan ,y those structures that have been carefully renewe repaired dan able dar stano e t battle centuriese dth th f eo .

. I EUROPEN I S .

Now this questio e existencth f no f Romaeo n bridges accounn o , t of their popularity, is one that is worth attention, and to be on sure groun s absoluteli t i d y necessar genuine se o yt e Roman structures, and compare them with those that are called such. n ItalI y a numbether e ar e f so-calleo r d Roman bridgesn i d an , itself ther foure ear , popularly suppose thif o se b character o dt . But an examination of these structures does not wholly bear this e fou th t Rome a dates rf outi O e .d on , 1451, another 1575 thira , d has been entirely rebuilt. The fourth has clear indications of at leas x differensi t t period f reconstructiono s s seconit d dan , oldest portion seems to bear the arms of a pope of 1440. On the other hand, the ruined bridge over the , at Narni, fifty miles from Rome (fig. 1),—a most magnificent and unique structure,—appears to be unquestionably Roman ; but it must have been in ruins for t a leasf 0 thii years 80 sd t splendian , d solidan d bridg s beeha e n unable to hold together, one's confidence in the possibility of slighter structures remaining intact is considerably shaken. Those reported

4 15 PROCEEDINGS SOCIETYE TH P O ' , JANUARY s, 1912.

to be at Rimini, Veii, Salassien, and St Martin, I have not seen yet, thereford an e cannot expres opinion sa n upon them. In France the only Roman bridge that seems to remain is , wit s Romait h n inscriptio e triumphath n o n l archest bu ; e bridgth e muco itsels s i hf less weather-worn than these arches that ononln eca y accep e theorth t restorationf yo . n SpainI e bridgeth t Cordova,a s 1 Alcantara, Merida d Rondan , a are attributed to the Romans, but the first has recently been incased in cement and is unrecognisable, the next two have been restored, ane las s th dmereli t a yname e d doetaket b neean no ,s o nt d seriously. In Germany the bridge at Treves is said to be on Roman founda- s thia tions st doe bu t mak, presene no s th e t bridge " Roman,e on " can only use the fact to point out that this structure also has been unabl o stant e e tes f timedth o tAustria n I . , Trajan's Bridge over e Danubth s frequentlha e y been s quotedlikenesit d an s state,i s d to be shown on the bas-reliefs on Trajan's column ; but an examination of that remarkable monument does not appear to show any stone bridge, and some wooden railings, which may be those of a wooden bridgeonle th ye thingar , thif so s kind that seem visible. But there is another class of structure which is of great help to us dealinn i g with bridge-building Romane Th . s were great builderf o s aqueducts, and a number of fine structures led across the Campagna to Rome. Some are in ruins ; others are kept in repair. In France, one of the finest Roman relics in the world, the , near Nime s stili (fig, l 2) .extant , though partly ruined n SpaiI e . th n at Segovia, extensively repaired in 1483, still remains. But these are not bridges in the true sense. No heavy traffic rolled across the arches to shake the bonding loose, or horses' hoofs stamped on the roadwa parapetse th forco y t t eou . These structure l shosal w deeply

writee Caliphe 1On th r f say o Cordovaf so e sbridg e builthis on th t y swa b e t bu , looks mediaeval.

156 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

weather-worn stone, and all tell that but for careful repair they would have falle pieceso nt . Again have e w theatre, th e d amphitheatres—Romean s , Verona, Nimes d Aries an d man, an , y others—al n ruinsi l ; also triumphal arches, all deeply weather-worn and much patched, at Rome and other places. Yet although the story of these relics is to some extent a depressing tale of ruin and repair, there is one instructive fact which all these structures hav common ei n ;—th e masonry th siz f Romae eo Th . n foot was 11 inches, and the courses of masonry on nearly all these bridges, aqueducts, amphitheatres, and triumphal arches, var inches3 y2 betwee d ,an roughly0 n2 Roma2 , n e Pon feetTh t. du Gard, in France, has masonry of the same type and character as tha t Narnia t , whil e Ponth e t Flavien resemble n typi d s an e masonr e Pontyth e Cesti f Rome oo amphitheatrese Th . , triumphal arches d bridgean , s that remain have nearl l masonral ye th f o y same size. What does thinaturae sTh teac ? l s conclusiohu s come i nw , eto that these structures have remained, because the size of masonry is so great, that the weathering of the stone and mortar has borne an inappreciable relation to the general mass, whereas the weathering e e thinjointoth th f f ,o s small-storied masonr e middlth f o ye ages has caused pieces to drop out, and so brought lighter structures to absolute ruidisappearancd nan e; massivenes s alone seemable b eo st stano t tese timef dth o t .

. ROMAII N BRIDGE BRITAINN I S .

With this impressio e studnth f Romalefy o yb t n s i relics e on , only prepare e remain th o loo t dr r fo kfoundationo s f bridgeo s f o s Romae th n perio Britainn di . One of these bridges, of which there is absolutely clear evidence, THE ANCIENT BKIDGE7 15 SCOTLANDN I S .

is that acros e Nortth s he Roma th Tyn n o en wal t Chollerforda l , excavated for in 1860, of which only the foundations remain; and even these have certain remarkable features whict no h s poinit o t t being necessaril ybridga muco ebarriers a s ha . The present road bridge, replacing an older one swept away in 1771 s fivha e, arches wit5 fee22 ht waterway, whil e Romath e n bridg d onlha ey four arches wit6 fee f waterway—nearlo 13 ht e yon half. From thi t seemsi s clear tha intentionan a t s thiwa s l water- race, forcin e riveth g r int a odee p streae coulon o tha mds o n t easil yRomae pasth n si nthip wall forminga d s an , gline parth e f o t of defence. The reaso r throwinnfo g doubs beinit n go t designe bridga r dfo e is, thae originath t l Roman road—the Stanegate—lies some miles away, whil e e piershapth th e f so e (recallin g t thosAngelS f o e n oi Rome, built 1451), is such, that it is scarcely credible that they can ever have been designed for a bridge. I also draw attention to the enormous width of the masonry, to the pier surrounded by fresh frone th face e wallmasonryn tth t o t th linI o s thaf t .i e o d t i t an , s inconceivabli e tha m a bridg t o t e e woul e erecteb d d where th e crossing of troops would necessitate their being in full view of an attackin glimie partyth attackf o tmuso close d t W p an , eu t. rather look upon this as a water-race, and conclude that, when originally constructed, chains were stretched across the , tightened or fastened roun e curiouth d s circular stones whic e founar h d among disasterse masonrye th th f o thad e whico t ,an e , on t ruin e th h th f o s adjoining camp testify, happened at this point, owing to the passage being effected through the water being low. When rebuilt, the masonr therefors ywa e advanced anothe fee0 3 r t int e riveroth d an , made twice as thick, to resist the enormous pressure of a ; and e remainth s i f thi t o si s water-rac a genuin t eno tha ed seee w an t, bridge. Relics of a Roman bridge were also found buried at Corbridge, and 158 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

statee ar havo dt e bee nrivee seeth rn n i Tweed below Newsteat bu d; r knowledge e limiou thi th f o s tsi , unless anythin foune b t y a d gma , where the old Roman road from Lilliard's Edge makes a straight line for a narrowing of the Bowden Burn, where two rooks confin bure makd th e nan easn ea y crossing. The small bridge nea Romae th r n cam t Ardocpa devois hy i an f do features that would identif belongins a particulat y yi an o gt r period, appearance th l al s structura f ha eo e 1630-6t i th t f eo bu 0 periodo t , facilitate acceschurche onls th i proximite o t syt I th .Roma e th f yo n camp that causes attention to be given to it.

III. MEDIEVAL BRIDGES.

With this view of the Roman remains, in endeavouring to decide whice mosth s thi ancient bridg Scotlandn ei feele mosn on ,- o s un t certain ground. The very early references in literature are to some exten t verno t y e datedefiniteth d s onlan , y indicat e perioth e o t d which the e attributear y variouy db s writers n 119I d 129. an 94 there are references to Berwick Bridge ; in 1234 to Ettrick Bridge ; 128 Dumfrieo 3t s Bridg e; 129 Stirlino 7t g Bridge (cu Wallacey b t ; ) 132 o Balgownit 0 e Bridge (Aberdeen ; ) 132 o Bridgt 9 f Earo e n (fig. 3); 1340 to Glasgow Bridge; 1390 to Tay Bridge (Perth); 1419 Dunblano t e Bridge; 142 Guardbridgeo 0t ; 145 Dunkelo 2t d Bridge; and 1482 to Lauder Bridge. have l thesW eal e references e bridget wherth bu , e ear s? Berwick Bridge in 1199 was wooden, and both it and its successor were swept awa y; Stirlin g Bridge,^fro e burgh seae th alss mf th f wooo lo wa o , d; Glasgow Bridge was decayed in 1340, rebuilt in 1345, fell in 1675 and s demolishewa 1761 d an , n 185di 6; Dunblane Bridge, Pocock tells us, was pulled down and a new one built; the Dumfries Bridge was almos l washeal t d awa 1620n yi . Onl arche o Bridge y th tw lef e f so ar t e •of Earn ; of the Ettrick, Dunkeld, Perth, and Lauder Bridges—the THE ANCIENT BRIDGES IN SCOTLAND. 159

two latter definitely wood—therf o know e b vestiga o nt t no es ei left. The Bridge of Balgownie partly fell in 1587, while Bridge required 4000 turf sods for its parapet in 1632. We are thus left with purely negative information; but it all tends to show that structures prior to 1500 were mostly of wood, and have gone o ruint . An examinatio e bridgeth f no s outside Scotland reveals muce hth same stat f affairseo Italn I bridge . yon attributes ei Theodorio dt c t a Spolet t 4 afte e bu Got60 th ro; n i htha t nothin s knowi g f o n bridge-building till thos t Florenca e 1218n ei , 1235, 1252 d 136an , 2 (alf whico l h were washed away) t Lecca , n 1335i o t Verona , n i a 1355, at in 1322, and at Rome, already referred to, in 1467 and 1575. n FrancI e firsth e t bridge ovee Rhonth r t Avignona e f whico , h only a trace is left, was completed in 1187.1 Pont St Esprit, twenty- two arches, also over the Rhone, begun in 1265, took 45 years to build. These wer e firsth e t effort a natio f o s n whic s alwayhha s takee nth foremost plac n pioneei e r wor n engineeringi k d froan ,m whoe mw have taken most of our engineering terms. The first stone bridg Parin ei onls sywa erecte 1412n di . In Spain the Moors appear to have done little more than keep the Roman bridge repairn i s . Granada alone show sa relia bridg f o c e at the Alhambra, but it also dated from the thirteenth century. o bridget Toledtw A e sth o there, erecte n 121d i 1258 d an 2 ha , to be rebuilt in 1390 and 1380 respectively; and these are said to be the present structures. n EnglandI , London Bridge, which too 3 year3 k o buildt s d an , was finished in 1209, is apparently one of the first stone bridges in that country, and the close of its history forms a well-known nursery song. Germanyn I e firsth , t bridge appear havo t s e been that ovee th r 1 The present remains only date from 1670. 160 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

Danub t Ratisboea 1135n ni t Munic,a followe e on 1158n hi y db d ,an one at Frankfort in 1340. s thui t sI evident that Europe bega e necessito awakt nth o t e y of bridge-building abou e samth t e e musperiodw td thereforan , e judge that the commencement of the Scottish bridge-building period would be about 1400.

. SCOTTISIV H BRIDGES. e periodTh f bridgo s e constructio n Scotlane i nroughlb y yma d divide e yeath rt da 1600 , prio o whict r h dat ee bridge th mos f o ts were the result of individual effort; but after that, the majority were built by national subscriptions taken up by churches, shire committees d Towan , n Councils. After 160 e Kir0th k Sessiod an n Town Council records enable us to date many of the bridges accur- ately ; but prior to that, some of the largest bridges would appear o havt e been built privately publio n r ther fo e , car e recorde th f o s buildin f greago t structures suc s Cramonha d Bridge (fig, Stirlin4) . g Bridge, Ayr Bridge, Bothwell Bridge, East Linton Bridge, and many others which must have cost large sums. Glasgow Bridge, the Dee and Don Bridges at Aberdeen, Q-uardbridge, and Dunblane Bridge are attributed to the efforts of bishops of the adjoining cathedrals ; there- s temptei e foron eo loot d o generout k s local landowner s beina s g the builders of the other structures. Few seem to have been con- structe y Governmentb d r althougfo , e Exchequeth h r Rolld an s Record e Privth f yo s Council have constant reference o grantt s n i s f fallino d gai bridges, disputes, authorisation f tollso s n whici , h certain bridge e mentionedar s seemw fe o havt , e been built from e publith c n eaci purse hd an cas, e individual r towno s s obtained concession upkeepe th r sfo . In place, therefore, 'of allocating a bridge to a certain date, it is more convenient to divide bridge construction into periods; and, while recognising the almost total suspension of bridge-building from 1540

162 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1012.

to 1570, from 1688 to 1696, and from 1706 to 1720, one may suitably divide the periods thus :—

The Roman period. The Pre-Reformation period . . . . 1400-1560. The Post-Reformation period .... 1560-1600. The " Collection " bridges .... 1600-1680. The Local bridges ...... 1680-1710. The Shir Militard . ean 1710-1754 y. J bridge . . s The Turnpike bridges—early .... 1754-1770. later .... 1770-1800. ,, ,, heavy or mail road . 1800-

These periods are helpful in one way, as they make distinct the means by which the money was raised. In the Pre-Reformation perio e bishopdth s were amon e chiegth f benefactor e Postth n -i s; Reformation period the large landowners; in the " Collection " period the churches largely raised the money. In the Local and Shire perio shiree dth townd san s raise amoune dth subscriptioy b t n; latee th rn i period militare th s y bridges were constructe Governy db - ment, and the turnpike bridges by the Turnpike Trusts. t witBu h bridges nea large rth e town sucso thern hs distinctionewa . Glasgow looked after its own bridges. Perth looked after Perth Bridge and Bridge of Earn. Aberdeen had to keep up both the Bridge of Don and the Bridge of Dee. St Andrews had Guard Bridge ; Jedburgh had its own and Ancrum Bridge to look after. Stirling, Linlithgow, Dumfries, Ayr, Irvine, Brechin, and Inverness had each their own bridg keeo et repairn pi thesd an , e royal burghs helped others when their bridges were badly damaged, but a wary eye was kept to see that the money subscribed was not put into the town's purse. Glasgow n particulari , , early showe s far-seeinit d d keean g n com- mercial aptitude, as well as generosity in supporting good works,

1 These wer certain o e n line f road o swerd an , e continue extended an d n di out-of-the-way parts, by the Commission of Highland Roads and Bridges till long after 1800. E ANCIENTH T BRIDGE N SCOTLANDI S . 163

e promptnesbth y s with which handsom d substantiaan e l financial suppor s offerewa t evero t d y proposa builo t l dbridga e within even e fifty-milth e radiu e attacheth s; d terms tha l Glasgoal t w citizens shoul exempe db t from paie tollb thad dmonee o t an , onlth ts ywa when the parapets were begun, being two delightfully clever and

Pig. 5. The " Roman " Bridge, Lanark ; a good example of a dilapidated Bridg e 1560-168th f eo 0 period. Roadway feet9 , . useful conditions humoue th , whicf o r h wilapprecio l wh appea l al - o t l business-like th e at e characte Westere th f ro n Capital. These financial arrangement r raisinsfo g f monemoro - e im e ar y portance than is generally recognised, as the sums required for con- struction and upkeep of bridges in many cases were considerable, for a substantial and well-constructed bridge is to a large extent simply a matter of expense ; and its permanence a matter contingent upon choosing proper foundations, having ample waterway, good design, materials d workmenan , n eacI f .thes o h e periods, first, 164 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

second, and third class bridges were constructed, and, naturally, those best built, and kept in repair by a responsible body, are left to us ; whil e ruinth e f inferioo s r structures d thosan , e which, after being built by public-spirited effort, were left to take care of themselves, furnish most of those picturesque ruins which are popularly designated as Roman Bridges of hoary antiquity, like the one at Lanark (fig. 5).

Turnin e structureth o gt s themselves endeavourinn i , thx fi e o gt datbridgea f eo , nothin s bee gha importano ns e generath s a t l intro- ductio f wheeleno d carriage traffic about 1680-1700. Prio o that r t perio e countre traffith th d s mostlf o cwa y y carrie horsebackn o d , d narroan w bridge s e communitye needserveth th f l o sal d e Th . new traffic required broader bridges, and after this date there is scarcel ybridga e with less tha fee0 n1 t roadway. t thi o criterioitseln Bu n i s s i f f age o s nonli vere t ,on ym i i y portant factor which must never be lost sight of ; for the length e bridge oe th districte traffif th th e heigh e f th d th ,o c f an ,o t all play parthein n fixini ow tr e periodth g , whe o architecturan l feature makes the matter perfectly clear. The second important date-mar shape th thicknesd s ki ean e th f o s pier (fig . earln 6)I . mose y th period f t o unsatisfactor e son y features— from an engineering point of view—was the enormously heavy piers which were laid.dow e riversth n ni . They obstructe e fairwadth f yo the water, dammed up the river, and were the cause of the sweeping away of many an early structure. As centuries passed on they were made thinnershape piee th th rf d eo modifie an , suio e differendt th t t t nineteenttile th no l s conditionwa t i h t centurbu swel; s ywa l begun that they were cut down to slim proportions. The third very important date-mark is the relation of a bridge to those in its neighbourhood. We cannot get away from the fact that local consideration influencd an s almose ar e t paramoun mattea n i t r of this kind, and each bridge is to some extent a copy of, or improve- E ANCIENTH T BRIDGE N SCOTLANDI S . 165

ment upon anothe e districtth n i r , whic s serve a patternha h s a d . Five bridge f six—io t t more—arno sou f e buil y thoshavo b t wh ee familiarised themselves with bridge construction, and in looking at bridgee on muse y w ,lookine an b e pattert th t r halga nfo a dozef n others. Bridge-building is now a special branch of study, relegated to civil engineering e truth e t relatiobu , f bridgo n e constructioo t n 2 3 4 _S

Fig . TypePier6 e . th Scottis n f so so h Bridges. e usuaTh e yea. l . th 1 Variou4 patter r , o t 3 1770 stylesd , p ol 2 snu . , occasionall t withme y . usuae Th l. 5 patter . Fiv10 n , eafte9 varietie, 8 r, 7 1770 , f Pie6 so Guar n . o r d Bridfre, St. Andrews, evidently of different periods. architectur , thae is architecturn i t carro t arcn s e a ypermanen a hha t weightee b n ca load dd witan , h masonr givo yt t stabilitei y; wherea s an arched bridge has to bear a moving load, and has to stand the thrust at every point in the semicircle, an effect easily demonstrated by pressing one's hand ove a hoopr , thus flattenin e circld th g an e thrustin e sidese constructioth Th t . ou g f stono n e bridges until about 1700 was in the hands of a few, and wooden bridges were usually preferred, as being easily and more cheaply built; they stood little risk of collapse, and were readily repaired by renewing the beams. 166 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

With these facts before us, the allocation of a bridge to its period of constructio a larg o t e s i nexten a questiot f collectino n g details e bridgeth a districtl oal n i fs , comparing, sifting d classifyinan , g their features d consultinan , e historicagth l recorde countrth f o s y for references and remarks which have a bearing on the matter. It is the ignoring of this that has occasioned much of the loose information that is at present extant, and as each year passes, the less satisfied are we that the bridges are so ancient as is made out, for the history of the bridges in Scotland appears to be the history of bridges all over Europe. The same types are repeated, the same designs, the same features; showing how far the masons travelled, and followed out the plans adopted successfully elsewhere. Indeed, if we could trace the footsteps of the bridge-builders, we should be in a position to know much that is at present conjectural, and be abl folloo et wmosa t interesting study.

The first period of bridge-building in Scotland is the Pre-Reforma- tion epoch, from 1400-1540—the dynastic e James'perioth f o ds I., II., III., laboureo IV.wh , de consolidatio mucth r hfo welfard nan e of their country, and are specially noted in history as having built and repaired bridges. It is to this period that we can generally assign all the great stone bridges of the country, and others of un- known antiquity on the main lines of traffic, about 40 or 50 in all. alss i thi o ot t I s epoch tha appeae indebtee w tb o t re mosr th dfo f o t ribbed bridges e besth , t example f whico s e see ar t hCramonda n , Haddington, East Linton, Dalkeith, Jedburgh, Bothwell, Tullibody, . the old Avon Bridge (Hamilton), and Bridge of Dee at Aberdeen ; but as the same style of construction was also adopted for the old North Water Bridge about 1580, at Inverness in 1685, and at Gannochy Bridg 1732n ei , this stylperioda o s therefort ei y , ke o en if these latter dates are not wrongly given in local literature. The pointed or Gothic arch of this period is exhibited in the Bridge

168 PROCEEDINGS OF THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

of Balgownie (fig. 7) at Aberdeen, at Cramond Bridge, at Abbey Bridge (Haddington), at Tullibody Bridge, and in one arch of Dairsie Bridge. Among the other structures of this epoch, mention should be made of thost AndrewS t ea s (fig , Musselburgh.8) , Stirling, Doune, Peebles, Irvine, Ayr, and Doon, all of which are important. The records of this period, however, are very fragmentary, and there is a complete absence of information of any bridge being built between 1464 and 1527, a period of 60 years ; and one can only hope that it will be ascertained that some of the undated bridges belong to this wide interval.

One class of bridge of this period, of which special mention is desirable, is the " Fortified "1 bridge, because of the ingenuity shown constructinn i gbridga e that woul itseln di f for mdefensibla e barrier

to the approach of troops (fig. 9). o The finest example in Scotland is the bridge at Tullibody, which e mosth seeme t b perfec o t suniqud s clasan it t f Europen i seo n I . a serie t i f twisto s producede sar , designed o effect e throwinth t f go a body of horsemen into confusion. The bridge at Stirling has the same idea carried out at the north end, by means of a double turn ; while tha t e archePeeblea t th s s ha sarrange t differena d t angles, evidently wite samth h e objec n viewi t . Whethe e bridgth r t a e Balgowni s abutmenit s ha e t place a curv r n thii dfo es objeca s i t moo same tth t pointalsi s e t curiouoha bu , s bent abutment, which, d unscientifian thougd ba f co h design, must have been mada r fo e definite purpose. Most of the old Scottish and English bridges were, however, guarded by a gate in the middle or at one end, but on the Continent, and especi-

1 This title is adopted from an old description, but it does not accurately convey tha e shape bridgth tth f e o s emori a militar f eo y barrie defensivr fo r e purposes tha actuan na l fortification morA .e correct title woul "e d b Defensiv e bridge." THE ANCIENT BRIDGES IN SCOTLAND. 169

ally in Spain, gates at both ends were provided, following the Eoman style indicated on Pont Flavien. e finesth r t fa examply B a full f o ye fortified bridge Pontth s ei e Nomentano in (fig. 10), whose plan shows a handsome castle in the centre, and a gateway at both ends, thus forming a regular fortress. A t bears i popes o arme tw mussth e f sw o , t assume tha bridge tth s ewa

. Plan9 . Bridgef so Kg s with angled approache Roadwayn so . 1. Stirling Bridge. 2. Brig o' Doon. 3. Tullibody Bridge. 4. Balgownie Bridge. 5. Peebles Bridge. erected about 1450 strengthened an , t whethe165n di s bu 0; wa t i r fortified as the result of the fall of and the irruption of the Turks, or as a clever and new design by Alberti, Pope Nicholas's famous architect impossibls i seemt e i , on knoo st o n sayo e t ws a , any- thing abou . bookit e tNon th f whico est o hI hav accesd eha s make any mention of the three coats of arms on different parts of this bridge. e curiouth t sBu e battlementshapth f eo s wil e noticedb l , resembling in typ Damascue eth s Gat t Jerusalemea , buil 1537n i t . In the same Pre-Reformation period, chapels were attached to many 170 PROCEEDING E SOCIETYTH r O S , JANUAR , Y8 1912 .

bridgee oth f Englann si rathes Francei d t di an t r strikinbu , g thae th t practice doet see no so mhav t d muc ha e h vogu n Scotlani e dr o 1 Ireland, although the cross in the centre of the old wooden bridge t Stirlinbridga d ol e t Avignonsimilarles ga i th n o e y.on placee th o dt

. FigPont10 . e Nomentano, near Rom e; formerl y fortified witd an h, gates t bota h ends. close th thif eo t a s s periodwa t I , marke distractioe th y db n caused by Mary of Guise, that a blight seemed to fall- over Scotland, and e recordth e almosar s t sileno anythint s a t g being don n bridgei e - building n 154 I Somersee . 5th t expedition wrecke e countrth d o yt e gateth f Edinburgho s d retirean , y Jedburghb d , devastatind gan tearing down every building n 154I . 9 Peeble burneds swa ; whiln ei 155e Scotth 9 s broke down Tullibody Bridg preveno et Frence th t h

1 A chapel was attached to Bridge of Dee at Aberdeen, and to Stirling Bridge. THE ANCIENT BRIDGES IN SCOTLAND. 171 troops from approaching Stirling. It was only when the great movemen f Keformatioo t n that swept acros e Teutonith s c racef o s Europ gained e ha uppe e dth r han Scotlann di 1560y db , tha greaa t t wave of educational, religious, and progressive fervour set in ; and, beginnin 1575,n gi recorde 1th fule earnesf o sar l t efiort repaio t s e th r

Pig. Collectio11 . n Bridge Period Bridgd Ol t .Stowe a , besid Churce eth h; 1654. Roadway fee7 , inches6 t .

bridges falling into disrepair buil o structurest ,prow o t dne o s - d an , mote the welfare of the country. To this Post-Reformation and " Collection Bridge " period belongs the long North Water Bridge, buil ; use Erskiny n b t d Du afterward f eo e Covenantinhero t sth n di g prisoners for their night's lodging on their way to Dunottar. To this period belong a little bridge at Skelmorlie, one at Dunfermline, 1 It is only right to mention that between 1580 and 1600 I have no record of bridges being built. 2 17 PROCEEDING SOCIETYE TH F O S , JANUAR , 8 Y1912 .

e bridgth t Linlithgowa e bridge th , Urrf eo , tha t Berwicka t wels a , l as a long series of little bridges, 7 feet to 9 feet wide, erected beside churches enablo t , inhabitante eth croso st theio st r plac f worshieo p in safety, mostly erected from the proceeds of collections taken up in the churches. t thaWerno a numbe tt ei f bridgeo r s havin connectioo gn n with churches were built, it would very appropriately be called the Collec- tio r Churco n h Bridge period r practicallfo , y every bridg n closi e e proximity to a church was erected at this time (fig. 1]). t thiBu s happ d almosan y t continuous perio f bridge-buildingo d , from 160 1650o 5t unexplainen a , d endcamn a an , o et d slacknesr sfo nearly 60 years swept over the land. Bridges were going to be built, t all bu thaactualls twa y don spasmodis ewa t irregulaa d can r intervals. But when the first carriages began to appear about 1680, instantly the whole outlook changed. Bridges were no longer for local use but for genera buildinle trafficth d importanf an ,g o t structures became urgent. The best bridg f thio e s perio s thai d t Lanara t k (Kirkfi.eldbank), completed in 1699, and at that time the widest bridge in Scotland ; but the troubles of the Union of 1705 seemed to drive away all mone r progressivyfo ee subsequen workth d an , t unrest, culminating e 171inth 5 outburst, made work nearls impossiblewa t yi fivd ean , years before the country settled down to that era of progress which thereafter never slackened. 1720 commences the period of modern bridge engineering. In Franc Etablissemente eth des Fonts Chausseest e took matter handn si , and the art of bridge engineering began to be studied scientifically. e Scottisth t Bu h bridge-builders adhere theio dt r rul thumbf eo d an , though the sparing use of material, with plenty of mortar, made a less substantial structure e ,shir th bridge ey b authoritie p s u wer n ru e s in quick succession (fig. 12). The military authorities also contri- buted their networ f roado k s from Carlisl Portpatricko et , Stirlino gt Dumbarton, and Stirling to the Highlands; so that for 40 years a

174 PROCEEDINGS OP THE SOCIETY, JANUARY 8, 1912.

continuous serie serviceablf so e bridges sprun evern i p gu ye parth f o t country r facilitatinfo , g transport, f thehardlo f lesmy o ysan than 10 feet roadway (fig. 13). Up to this time the traffic of the country had been conducted on roads following the old horse paths, climbing hills utterly unsuited to the heavier load f cart so carriagesd san witd an ,h unmetalled surfacd ean deep ruts caused by the new traffic. It became speedily evident that whole th e lin roadf eo s must abando hille keed nth san moro p t e level ground monee Th founthir s . y fo sformin wa y db g Turnpike Trusts. Turnpike Th e Acts bega tako nt e effect about 1754 practicalld an , y e Shirth ed broughadministrationen n a o t t bridgee Th . s werw eno attached to roads barred with turnpike gates. As money was more plentiful e bridgeth , s were more solidly buil widerd an t . Bridge, built 1766 fee3 2 , t widebese th ts i ,exampl fina f eo bridgf eo this e averagperiodth t bu e, bridg s spar d rathewa ean e r slender, muc Norte type th hth f heo Bridg t Edinburghea , taken- dowun s na safe many years ago. This perio suitabls di y calle Earlye dth Turnpike, as the year 1770 apparently marks the disappearance of the old Scottish pie promineno s r e oldeth n ri tbridges , cause doubo dn y b t theoriew ne e bridge-buildinf so th g which bega spreao nt d (fig. 14). The Later Turnpike period, beginning 1770 s distinca , t froe mth Early Turnpike e commencementh s wa , a perio f o tf solio d d bridge construction ; the piers were cut down in thickness, the arches flattened, the stones were carefully cut and dressed, ornamental mouldings were introduce coveo dt jointe strengtheth rd san parapetse nth d an , the average width brought out to 14 feet. This period is known conclusivel speciae on y ylb typ f bridgeeo , namely holloa , w spandril or circle, relieving the weight of the haunch of the arch. Wherever these are seen, the bridge may be assigned without hesitation to this periodbridge th y alss ea , centro e risinma ape n th a classee n xo gi et b d as " before 1799," hardl bridgey yan thif so s design being erected after the turn of the century (fig. 15).

6 17 PROCEEDING SSOCIETYE OTH P , JANUAR , Y19128 .

Upon the Mail Eoad period, which began with the heavy and fast mail coaches abou t propost 1800no o d bridgeentero e t ,I Th . s then built were the finest and most solid constructions ever known—seldom less than 20 feet and often 30 feet wide; we pass over great valleys thinking little of them, and their life must be many more years than the more flimsy constructions of the eighteenth century. Telford's bridge e knowar s n ovecros e e worldw th rs d an , the Dean Bridge noting the beautifully squared, close-fitting stones, and observ e lighth e t arch supportin e heavth e patd ygth han arc h the traffic. These are bridges of a period of which we may be proud. Ma yI har kphase bacon f histor eo o kt y whic s evehi r befor. me e We have referred to the Pre-Reformation and Post-Reformation periods from 1400, the Local Collection bridges, the Shire and Military, d Earl d an Latyan e Turnpike e Maith l d Roaan , d periodt bu s; what of that 800 years between the fall of Rome and the accession of Bruce ? Nearly every bridge we know comes within the historical period of the last 600 years. Were none built before that ? What is the history of the bridges of France, of Spain, of Italy, of Germany 1 Is it not the same in every respect, 800 years of black night ? The magnificent culture of Rome that spread its skeleton civilisation over Europe, that taught bridge-building to the world, and has left monu- ments in every colony of the vast empire—the arched aqueducts at Segovi Spainn ai t Pona , Caru d t Francen di t Roma , e ove e Camth r - pagna—all these remain in the minds of the uncultured as being excepy wa ty "explaithao an t Devil' e e n tth i w t ne i sar work.w Ho " hordes of Goths, Vandals, Northmen, Danes, and Saxons who swept across Europe were almost rude, unlettered savage n comparisoni s , with neither culture nor feeling, but to kill and possess. The departure of Roman civilisation blotted out progress in Britain, and whatever causes led to the decline and fall of the , we must recognis magnificence eth s achievementit f eo deplord an , ethnoe eth - THE ANCIENT BRIDGE177 SCOTLANDIN S .

logical cause tha t bacyears 0 handtse e cloc e k80 th th r f .k sfo o There were none that cared to build, but many to destroy. Danee Th s hooked thei wooded r ol vessel e nth bridgo st t Londonea , orden i r thacurren e force th th tf theio en o t r vessels might tear away the supports of the bridge and pull it down. If such a reckless dis- regard for a structure benefiting the community was the spirit of the Dark Ages wondeo n , rstandstila Europt a s centuriesr ewa fo l - In . deed, if we look at history, the end of the Crusades seems to have marked the beginning of progress in bridge-building in Europe.