CONSERVATION OF MAR LODGE BRIDGE, BRAEMAR for National Trust for Scotland MARCH 2021 Heritage Impact Assessment 2 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment 1.0 Introduction The purpose of this report is to provide a Conservation Statement and Heritage Impact Assessment in relation to a Listed Building Consent/Planning Application by the National Trust for Scotland (NTS) to repair the Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar. The Planning Application team is engineer-led, by Allen Gordon Ltd, and the application submission is steered by Local Planning Authority guidance within Pre-Application advice note ENQ/2020/1789. This particular report should be read in conjunction with separate reports by Allen Gordon Ltd ‘Engineering Conservation’ (March 2021) and by Historic Metalwork Conservation Company Ltd ‘Victoria Bridge’ (Sept 2019). 2.0 Background The Mar Lodge Bridge provides the main route into the Mar Lodge Estate over the Rive Dee, just west and upstream of the historic village of Braemar in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. There are remains of a 19th century designed landscape on the north side of river, with fragments of depopulated vernacular settlements to the east, i.e. at Allt A’Chlair, and the west at Inverey. Mar Lodge itself was built in 1895-98 by north-east architect A Marshall MacKenzie for the Duke and Duchess of Fife as their autumn residence on the site of an earlier house (c.1780), which had been damaged in the Muckle Spate of 1829. This earlier house had in fact been rebuilt in the 1830s, but was destroyed by fire in 1895. Originally known as 'Dalmore House’, it is thought that a lodge may have occupied this site as far back as the 16th century. Dalmore House was bought by entrepreneur William Duff in the 1730s and, in the years that followed, minor lairdships were gradually absorbed as the estate expanded. In the 19th century, the estate was used primarily for recreational shooting and fishing. In 1879, Alexander Duff succeeded his father James, becoming the 6th Earl Fife. In 1889, he married the Princess Royal and was made 1st Duke of Fife. Following his death in 1912, the estate was managed by trustees, later passing to Princess Alexandra, Duchess of Fife. 3 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment In 1959, the estate was inherited by Alexander Ramsay, who then sold it to the Ashdale Property Company in 1962. They almost immediately passed it onto the Swiss Panchaud family. They ran it as a sporting venture, with the Lodge set up as a hotel. In 1989, it was bought by Mar Lodge Estate Inc. who continued to run it as a sporting venture; but giving greater emphasis to sensitive land management. In 1995, the estate was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland, with additional funding coming from both public and private organisations that also allowed an endowment to be created. Scottish Natural Heritage then became a partner in the management of the estate, whilst NTS converted the former hunting lodge into holiday flats. A desk-based survey of the estate was carried out in 1998, and a standing building survey of five croft houses was carried out in 2000. Severe flooding of the River Dee in 2016 (the subject of national news at the time) badly scoured the site of the bridge, which also threatened to undermine its piers leading to collapse. The NTS, therefore, commissioned a specialist investigation into the condition of the bridge. This Planning Application for proposed repairs and conservation is the outcome of that investigation. The proposals are the NTS’s first action to repair the bridge since its takeover in 1995; the interventions are deemed important and much-needed. Extract from the 1st OS map, surveyed in 1866, showing the ‘Victoria Bridge (Wooden)’ and south Gate Lodge in position. Note that this earlier bridge had its north abutment slightly more east of the present bridge. The bridge and lodge are shown in very similar detail within the 2nd OS map, surveyed 1901 4 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment 3.0 Significance of the bridge 3.1 Historical association Mar Lodge Bridge (sometimes referred to locally as ‘the White Bridge’) was built in 1905 as the main approach to the Mar Lodge complex for Alexander Duff 1st Duke of Fife and his wife, HRH Princess Louise. The royal association of the Estate is honoured with important inscriptions on the bridge to ‘Queen Victoria 1848’ and ‘Edward VII 1905’. The current Edwardian ‘white bridge’ replaced an earlier timber one of 1848 and, noting the occupation of the Estate from the 18th century, there was most likely a previous timber bridge before the Great Flood of 1829. 3.2 Construction Historic Environment Scotland acknowledges that as well as being used for communication, bridges can be major architectural features in a town or landscape. The materials used are also of interest and can be important to the history of engineering. High importance is attached to historic fabric when it conveys information about how it was created and how it performed. The bridge is a delicate but striking manmade feature in a spectacular landscape. The long span bridge has iron lattice girders supported on 4 sturdy stone piers with convex masonry approach walls. The piers are constructed with rounded ends using bull-faced pink and grey granite and flushed pointed mortar. The lattice frames are formed of rolled steel sections riveted together, including angles, flats, ‘T’s and channel sections, with a criss-cross arrangement of steel channel and flat sections. Sitting inside of the main bridge girders are a series of repeating decorative cast iron panels forming a secondary protective railing. The bridge deck is made from a series of curved/arched steel deck plates riveted between steel ‘T’ sections that sit on the lower edges of the steel girders. Interestingly, and importantly as on-site ‘archive’ information, a number of steel items have the makers’ names rolled on their metal surfaces. Lying on top of the steel deck plates is a layer of lightweight concrete topped with a road paving material. Much of the bridge’s distinctive appearance is derived from its skilfully designed and constructed iron latticework, which is augmented by an ornamental cast iron handrail and a horseshoe arch that, together with a small symmetrical stone gatehouse opposite, elegantly frames the entrance. 5 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment [See separate reports by Allen Gordon Ltd ‘Engineering Conservation’ (March 2021) and by Historic Metalwork Conservation Company Ltd ‘Victoria Bridge’ (Sept 2019) for further construction details]. 3.3 Setting The Estate is now a National Nature Reserve sitting within “The largest and most the Cairngorms National Park and containing several important nature nature designations (SSSI; SAC; SPA). The area is reserve in Britain” popular with tourists from all over the world and many walkers exploit the Estate’s Hidden Scotland public access and right to roam. Tourist vehicles, however, are not permitted over the bridge and there is a weight restriction for other vehicles that service the Estate. Mar Lodge Bridge is a Category B Listed Building (1985) : one of five Listed Buildings on the Estate. The bridge is a significant landscape feature in its own right, and the hunting lodge is set within a designed landscape. At the public road end, there is a gate and a gatehouse that was occupied by a gatekeeper when Mar Lodge Estate was owned by the Duffs. It is a one-storey, coursed granite tetrastyle with a piended, slated roof. The north facing building has an elaborate, colonnaded portico with four pink granite pillars at the front, and four matching pilasters “Mar Lodge Estate is within the masonry of the north wall. a walker’s paradise” An old Scot pine tree stands on the south side of the road, Visit Scotland to the west of the bridge. Tradition has it that this was the gallows tree for the barony. Extract from the 1969 OS map showing the bridge (still referred to as ‘Victoria Bridge’) in its current position 6 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment Black and white photo of the bridge taken in 1970 showing the structure in good condition, with no obvious signs of corrosion, damage to stonework and/or erosion of embankments. Note, however, the concrete protection around the base of the piers. Today, the white iron bridge is a striking manmade feature within a natural setting 7 Conservation of Mar Lodge Bridge, Braemar for National Trust for Scotland: Heritage Impact Assessment 4.0 Current Condition The bridge has clearly been maintained down the years – there is evidence of repair work to the ironwork and stonework – so the bridge is largely intact and still true to its original design. However, the bridge has suffered considerably on account of the last major spate (2016) as well as ongoing movement/vibration caused by nature and vehicles. Although not showing concerning signs of movement, the footings of the bull-faced granite piers have signs of ongoing scouring, and there have been previous concrete-based interventions to inhibit fluvian impact. Attempts to minimise scouring in the past using shuttered concrete and concrete bags are now visible at the footings. The embankment on the north side of the bridge has been badly eroded as the river has, more recently, changed course. The north pier is now being sacrificed to the river and the stone base of the pier is being exposed.