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{{Infobox Bridge
:''This article is about the first game in the series and the series in general. For the main character of the same name, see [[Viewtiful Joe (character)]] or for the [[anime]] see [[Viewtiful Joe (anime)]].''
|bridge_name = Eglinton Tournament Bridge
{{Infobox VG| title = Viewtiful Joe
|image = Eglintoncastle1876.jpg
|image = [[Image:VJbox.jpg|256px|center|Viewtiful Joe box cover]]
|caption = Tournament Bridge and castle in 1876<ref name="Dobie">Dobie, James (1876). ''Pont's Cuninghame'' Pub. John Tweed.</ref>
|developer = [[Capcom Production Studio 4]]
|official_name = Tournament Bridge
|publisher = [[Capcom]]
|carries = Pedestrians
|designer = [[Hideki Kamiya]] (director), [[Atsushi Inaba]] (producer)
|crosses = [[Lugton Water]]
|engine =
|locale = [[Eglinton Country Park]]
|released = [[October 7]], [[2003]] (GC)<br>[[August 24]], [[2004]] (PS2)
|maint = [[North Ayrshire Council]]<br>[[Historic Scotland]]
|genre = [[Platform games|Platform]]/[[Beat em up]]
|id =
|modes = [[Single player]]
|design = Gothic
|ratings = [[Computer Entertainment Rating Organization|CERO]]: All Ages <br> [[Entertainment Software Rating Board|ESRB]]: Teen (T) <br> [[Pan European Game Information|PEGI]]: (12+)
|mainspan =
|platforms = [[Nintendo GameCube]], [[PlayStation 2]]
|media =
|length =
|requirements =
|width =
|input =
|height =
|load =
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|open = c. 1845
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The '''Eglinton Tournament Bridge''' is a [[bridge]] located within [[Eglinton Country Park]] near [[Kilwinning]], [[North Ayrshire]], [[Scotland]]. The bridge crosses the [[Lugton Water]] a short distance northwest of [[Eglinton Castle]] (OS ref: {{oscoor|NS32064224|NS32064224}}) and was named after the [[Eglinton Tournament of 1839]]. The castle and surrounding grounds were once home to the Montgomerie family, [[Earl of Eglinton|Earls of Eglinton]] and chiefs of the [[Clan Montgomery]].
'''''Viewtiful Joe''''' is a [[video game]] developed by [[Capcom]]'s [[Capcom Production Studio 4]] design team "Team Viewtiful". The other games in the series, including the [[PlayStation 2|PS2]] port of the first game, have been made by [[Clover Studio]]. Atsushi Inaba headed the development of all the Viewtiful Joe games (first at [[Capcom Production Studio 4]], then at [[Clover Studio]]). The first game was developed exclusively for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] in 2003 and was part of the [[Capcom Five]], but was later ported to the [[PlayStation 2]] in 2004 after [[Nintendo]] made a deal with Capcom to make ''[[Resident Evil 4]]'' a GameCube exclusive (although it was later released on PlayStation 2). The [[Japanese language|Japanese]] version of the PlayStation 2 release is titled '''''Viewtiful Joe: A New Hope''''', a reference to the movie ''[[Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope]]''. ''[[Viewtiful Joe 2]]'' was released for both the GameCube and PlayStation 2 in November 2004. An [[anime]] [[Viewtiful Joe (anime)|version of the game]] aired on the Japanese television station [[TV Tokyo]] during 2004 and was licensed for US distribution by [[Geneon]] in 2005. The anime used to air on [[Kids' WB!]] on Saturdays at 8:00 AM, and later 11:30 AM but was cancelled shortly before the network changed to [[The CW]], leaving only half the series translated.


==Plot==
== History ==
{{See also|Eglinton Castle}}


====The Tournament Bridges====
While Joe and his girlfriend Silvia are watching a [[tokusatsu]] drama during a date, Silvia is kidnapped by the movie's antagonist and taken into the world of the movies: Movieland. Joe is able to follow Silvia after being picked up and taken into Movieland by the robot Six Majin. Inside the movie, Joe must rescue Silvia from the evil Jadow, the game's organization of [[villain]]s. To help him, Captain Blue entrusts him with a [[V-Watch]], telling Joe to transform into a superhero upon saying "[[Henshin]]" (Japanese for 'Transformation'), but Joe made it into his personal [[catchphrase]], "Henshin-a-go-go, baby!"
The surviving Tournament Bridge was built to provide an appropriate crossing point to gain access to the far side of the [[Lugton Water]]. [[Archibald Montgomerie, 13th Earl of Eglinton|Archibald Montgomerie]], the 13th [[Earl of Eglinton]] had the bridge built in a [[Gothic architecture|Gothic]] style, using cast iron for the arches, pinnacles, etc. and stone for the two pairs of miniature ornamental towers at either end. These towers have subtle design differences (See photographs) which are significant in the context of the extended history of the bridge. This 'Tournament' bridge was designed by the architect [[David Hamilton (architect)|David Hamilton]]. The bridge's cast iron [[parapet]] is a repetition of the pointed Gothic arch design of the castle, surmounted by a battlement, and relieved in the centre with foliated [[pinnacle]]s.<ref name="Millar">Millar, A. H. (1885). ''The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire.' Reprinted by The Grimsay Press (2004). ISBN 1-84530-019x. P. 74.</ref> The Tournament Bridge is B listed by [[Historic Scotland]].<ref name="Historic">[http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/gardens_search_more_info.htm?s=eglinton+castle&r=Glasgow%2c+Clyde+and+Ayrshire&bool=1&PageID=2374&more_info=Site Historic gardens]</ref>


[[Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge and procession in 1839.jpg|left|thumb|<Center>The original Tournament Bridge and the procession in 1839. Note the three cast iron arches, crossed finials, pinnacles, and the taller, broader towers, etc. characteristic of that bridge.<ref name="Aikman">Aikman, James (1839). ''An account of the tournament at Eglinton, revised and corrected by several of the knights : with a biographical notice of the Eglinton family to which is prefixed a sketch of chivalry and of the most remarkable Scottish tournaments.'' Pub. Edinburgh : H. Paton, Carver and Gilder. Facing P. 4.</ref>]]
==Gameplay==
''Viewtiful Joe''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s gameplay is very unusual and draws inspiration from classic side-scrolling brawlers such as ''[[River City Ransom]]'' and ''[[Double Dragon]]''. Joe has no blocking moves when fighting, he only can dodge by jumping or ducking. Usually, by successfully jumping or ducking, the foe that attacked him will be dazed, leaving the foe wide open for attack. Joe has three 'VFX' (Viewtiful Effects) powers, which are designed to emulate camera tricks seen in movies such as ''[[The Matrix]]'':
* ''Slow'' causes Joe's attacks to be more powerful, as well as increasing his reflexes and giving him the ability to dodge most attacks. While in Slow, striking a dazed foe sets up all enemies on the screen for a chain reaction, causing all points accrued during the duration of Slow to be multiplied by the number of enemies struck. If used deftly, Slow will accumulate a very large number of points due to the multiplier effect. If Joe is attacked while in Slow, he will automatically do a dodge move, and will lose a large chunk of his remaining VFX power.
* ''Mach speed'' allows Joe to run at incredible speed, create multiple after-images of himself when he unleashes a flurry of attacks, and can cause his attacks to envelop himself in a temporary heat shield, which will render him immune to flame attacks and set enemies on fire when struck. When used in tandem with Slow, Mach Speed only increases Joe's walking speed while in slow. It also allows "rapid" punches to be used, by holding the attack button.
* ''Zoom In'' gives Joe access to a new group of attacks and will power up his normal attacks, as well as "dazzling" all of the lesser foes in proximity to Joe into paralysis. Joe's punch is replaced with the "Red Hot One Hundred", a flurry of fists (different from Mach Speed). Joe's kick is replaced with an energetic spin kick, where he levitates in the air as he spins repeatedly. Jumping caused Joe to corkscrew into the air, damaging anything in his path. If the player zooms in while in the air, Joe will careen towards the ground feet first and send shockwaves out from the point of impact.
All of these are used in combat and to solve the game's puzzles. Two of Joe's attack powers can be used at the same time, Slow and Zoom, Mach Speed and Zoom, or Slow and Mach Speed (When using Slow and Mach Speed together, Joe moves at a normal speed while everything else is slowed). The most powerful attack in the game, the "Slow Zoom Red Hot One Hundred" (SlowZ-RHOH), is done by enabling Slow, Zooming, and then punching your enemy. Using Mach Speed while attacking speeds the attack up slightly. All of the VFX powers are required to get past at least one area in the game.
Joe has a VFX meter which empties as he uses his powers. If it runs out, Joe reverts to his normal state until the first bar of the meter refills. In his normal state, Joe takes double damage, has weaker attacks, loses the double jump ability and can no longer use his VFX powers. The bar can be extended by collecting various film cans scattered throughout the stages. For every fifty collected, a small extension a third the length of the initial VFX bar is added, up to five extensions. Picking up the small blue juice cans gives a small boost to the VFX bar (and can extend beyond the length of the VFX bar available), large blue bottles fill up a significantly larger portion, and red bottles give infinite VFX power for a limited time.


[[Image:A map of the Eglinton Tournament features.jpg|right|thumb|<Center>A map showing the layout of the various features associated with the Eglinton Tournament. Note the lakes either side of the bridge<ref name="Tait">Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. November 1839.</ref>, formed around 1800.<ref name="Stoddart">Stoddart, John (1801). ''Remarks on Local Scenery and Manners in Scotland during the years 1799 and 1800.'' Pub. William Miller, London. P. 313.</ref>]]
==Inspiration==


The [[1839]] Eglinton Tournament was held on a meadow or holm at a loop in the Lugton Water. Most of the holm no longer exists, the excavations in this area having provided gravel and sand for the construction of the Kilwinning bypass and leaving behind an excavation pit which is now known as Eglinton Loch. The Knights on horseback and their retinue reached the [[Tiltyard|tilt yard]] ('C' on the map) via an enclosed ride ('G' on the map), whilst the guests and visitors made their way to the stands via the route marked 'F' on the map illustrated. Both groups crossed over the previous three arched Gothic bridge. A map of 1837 of ''Eglinton Castle, Grounds and Tilt yard'' of 1837 shows that the tilt yard was already in extistence at this early date, but it is not recorded what its fate was after the tournament was over.<ref name="Anstruther">Anstruther, Ian (1986). ''The Knight and the Umbrella. An Account of the Eglinton Tournament 1839''. Pub. Alan Sutton. Gloucester. ISBN 0-86299-302-4. P. III.</ref>
The premise references [[Japan]]ese [[tokusatsu]] [[superhero]] Sci-Fi TV programs, such as ''[[Kamen Rider]]'' and ''[[Kaiketsu Zubat]]''. For example, just before a boss battle, Joe's helmet closes much like Zubat's.


[[Image:Eglinton Castle & Tournament Bridge 1884.jpg|thumb|left|<center>The castle and Tournament Bridge in 1884.]]
==Cast==
{{mainarticle|List of Viewtiful Joe characters}}


The 'new' Tournament Bridge served as a well used route across the Lugton Water, running through the deer park to the Eglinton kennels (previously Laigh Moncur), especially on days when the Eglinton Hunt met at the castle itself.
===Playable characters===
[[Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridges compared.jpg|right|thumb|<Center>The 'old' Tournament Bridge converted artificially to two arches, etc for comparison.]]
In addition to Joe, the game has several other playable characters:
The original bridge, also with two miniature towers, but with three arches and four pinnacles, stood roughly 100 yards further up the river towards the castle,<ref name="Ness3">Ness, J. A. (1969 - 70). Landmarks of Kilwynnyng. Privately produced. P. 29.</Ref> as shown in several contemporary prints and maps as illustrated in the appropriate gallery of this article.<ref name="Aitkenmap">Aitken, Robert (1829). ''The Parish Atlas of Ayrshire - Cunninghame.'' Pub. W. Ballantine. Edinburgh.</ref> It was this bridge that was used at the Eglinton Tournament as can be seen from the illustrations of the event, however the name was passed on to the 'new' bridge constructed downstream of it. No clear sign of this three arched bridge remains, a weir having been built at its old position; the 'old' bridge was constructed in 1811<ref name="Close">Close, Rob (1992), ''Ayrshire Buildings.'' Royal Incorporated Architects of Scotland. ISBN 1873-190-069. P. 64.</ref><ref name="Ayrshire Roots">[http://www.ayrshireroots.co.uk/Towns/Kilwinning/Kilwinning%20Historical%20Timeline.htm Ayrshire Roots]</ref>, therefore around the time of the 'new' castle being built in 1801/2 and also when the grounds were being laid out by Tweedie.
* '''Sexy Silvia''' – Unlocked by clearing Adult mode. She is the fastest runner in the game but takes double damage when hit. Her attacks are slightly weaker than Joe's, but her VFX meter drains more slowly. She can also jump slightly higher than Joe, possibly because she is lighter.
* '''Blade Master Alastor''' – Unlocked by clearing V-Rated mode, and has the ability to double jump in normal mode. You have to press the Z button to 'Devil Trigger' him into Viewtiful mode, in which he can use his VFX powers. However, being in Viewtiful mode causes an auto drain effect on his meter whether or not VFX powers are being used. The upside is that when you use his powers the drain carries on at the same rate (unlike the other characters where it speeds up if you combine powers) but because of this you will spend a lot more time in normal mode. While jumping in Viewtiful mode Alastor will continue to flap his wings allowing him to descend to the ground dramatially slower but can fall at normal speed if the analog is held down. Using the punch kick combo he will take out his demon sword in his final punch, doubling his reach, both in normal and Viewtiful mode. There is a rumor that Alastor does more damage than other characters, but this has been proven false.
* '''Captain Blue''' – Unlocked by clearing Ultra V-Rated mode. He has the highest single jump in the game but he doesn't have a double jump. Instead, he has the ability to fly horizontally as long as the jump button is pressed, but he cannot see the skulls that indicate where an enemy is going to attack.
* '''[[Dante (Devil May Cry)|Dante]]''' – Unlocked only in PlayStation 2 version by playing any mode (also unlockable in the PSP version of Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble). In addition to close range punches, kicks, and sword attacks, Dante can use his two handguns to attack faraway enemies. However, if the guns are used while in Slow, the bullets will be slowed down just like when enemies fire their guns. The finishing sword thrust of his ground attack combo (similar to his "Stinger" special move from [[Devil May Cry]]) does extreme damage when combined with VFX powers Slow and Zoom, actually enabling a one-hit kill on Fire Leo on Adults difficulty, making him arguably a contender for the strongest character in the game.


Surviving architects drawings show the designs for a three arched bridge and as stated, contemporary prints of the Eglinton Tournament also show a three arched Tournament bridge, with cast iron arches, pinnacles and parapets which may have been re-used in the later 'new' bridge which survives today.
In addition to unlockable characters, each character has a "Super" version unlockable by beating Adult, V Rated, or Ultra-V Rated with perfect "Rainbow V" scores in all levels. ( Ratings are letter grades, with V the best followed by A through D. 3 V grades in each mission award a Rainbow V for that mission. ) Super mode gives a player unlimited VFX power, making the game considerably easier. With certain characters, especially Alastor, getting the scores necessary is much harder than with Joe, but get added benefits from their Super modes.


The point at which the 'old' bridge crossed the Lugton was 102 feet broad and 100 yards downriver from the castle.<ref name="Aiton2">Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr.</ref> It had the Montgomerie coat of arms in the centre. Aiton describes it as being under construction in 1811.<ref name="Aiton">Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr.</ref> The miniature castle towers on the demolished bridge are shown as each being surmounted by a double cross, but these do not figure on the 'new' Tournament Bridge; the 'old' bridge therefore may have been specially embellished for the tournament with temporary additions.
==Reaction==
[[Image:Rebuilt Tournament Bridge.jpg|left|thumb|<Center>A view of the Tournament Bridge at its 'new' site. The level of the weir was lower at this time and was raised at a later date using randomly chosen stones to raise the water level.<ref name="NAC5">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref>]]
Viewtiful Joe was one of the highest rated games of its console generation. IGN gave Viewtiful Joe a 9.5 (on GameCube), or "Outstanding" rating, citing the beautiful cel-shaded graphics and high intensity action made it one of the best action games on the GameCube and PlayStation 2.<ref>{{cite web | author=Dunham, Jeremy| year=August 20th, 2004| title=Viewtiful Joe Review | format= | work=ign.com | url=http://ps2.ign.com/articles/540/540668p1.html | accessdate=2006-06-05}}</ref> Viewtiful Joe won the player's choice awards in Nintendo Power. The G4 television program [[X-Play]] named Viewtiful Joe the 9th best game of all time for the GameCube. In 2007, ''Viewtiful Joe'' was named 17<sup>th</sup> best Gamecube game of all time in [[IGN]]'s feature reflecting on the Gamecube's long lifespan.<ref name="17th">{{cite web | author=IGN GameCube Team | date=2007-03-16 | url=http://cube.ign.com/articles/772/772300p2.html | title=The Top 25 GameCube Games of All Time | publisher=IGN.com | accessdate=2007-03-18}}</ref>. Later in 2007, [[ScrewAttack|ScrewAttack.com]] listed it number seven on their Top 10 GameCube Games of All Time <ref>http://download.gametrailers.com/gt_vault/t_screwattack_topten_gamecube_gt.mov</ref>
[[Image:Lord of the Tournament & his esquires & retainers.JPG|right|thumb|<center>The Lord of the Tournament (Earl of Eglinton) and his esquires and retainers crossing the bridge.<ref name="Hodgson">''The Eglinton Tournament.'' Pub. Hodgson & Graves. London. 1840. P. 6.</ref>]]
A local minister, the Rev. Lee Ker, confirms which bridge was used at the tournament by relating in his book on [[Kilwinning]] that the tournament procession passed over the Water of Lugton by ''what is now called the Tournament Bridge, but which was then situated about 100 yards nearer the Castle and had three arches instead of two.''<ref name="Ker">Ker, Rev William Lee (1900). ''Kilwinning'' Pub. A. W. Cross, Kilwinning. P. 326.</ref> This distance coincides with a weir today and an old path from the castle leads directly to it. Dane Love states that the bridge used by the tournament had been built by the 12th Earl in 1811.<ref name="Love">Love, Dane (2003). ''Ayrshire: Discovering a County.'' Pub. Fort. Ayr. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9. P. 54.</ref> In contemporary reports of the tournament no special mention of the bridge is made, suggesting that it was already a well established feature of the estate by that time and not an extravagant new feature specially built for the event.


Lauchlan<ref name="Lauchlan">Lauchlan, Roy (1989). ''Questions & Answers about the Montgomerie Family and the 1839 Tournaments.'' Pub. Kilwinning & District Preservation Society. P. 12.</ref> confuses the issue by stating that an older bridge with three arches existed 100 yards up from the present one, however he states that the present bridge was built for the tournament. The old three arched bridge in fact still existed in 1840<ref name="Leighton2">Leighton, John M. (1850).''Strath Clutha or the Beauties of the Clyde.'' Pub. Joseph Swan Engraver. Glasgow. Facing P. 229.</ref> and at least as late as 1843.<ref name="Wreath2">''The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843): a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire.'' Pub. H. Crawford & Son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page.</ref>
==Sequels and re-releases==
* ''Viewtiful Joe'' - [[PlayStation 2]] re-release (aka ''Viewtiful Joe: A New Hope'' in Japan) has a new playable character: [[Dante (Devil May Cry)|Dante]] from [[Capcom|Capcom's]] [[Devil May Cry]] series. It also has an easier "Sweet Mode" difficulty option. However, Nintendo-related [[Easter egg (virtual)|easter eggs]] were removed.
* ''Viewtiful Joe Revival'' - This Japan-only re-release for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] also has an added "Sweet Mode" for decreased difficulty.
* ''[[Viewtiful Joe 2]]'' - Released for both [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Nintendo GameCube]].
* ''[[Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble]]'' (known in Japan as " Viewtiful Joe : Battle Carnival", and originally titled "Viewtiful Joe : VFX Battle") is available for the [[Nintendo GameCube]] and the [[PlayStation Portable]]. The game features a total of 20 characters (21 in the PSP version), from not only the game series but from the anime series as well.
* ''[[Viewtiful Joe: Double Trouble]]'' (known in Japan as [[Viewtiful Joe Scratch!]]) is available for the [[Nintendo DS]] The game features a level of innovation that wasn't seen in [[Viewtiful Joe 2]] thanks to the use of the DS's [[touchscreen]].
''Viewtiful Joe'' was originally to be a trilogy, as cited in-game by Captain Blue toward the end of the first game ("''There are two more times when the world will be in danger''") and at the end of ''Viewtiful Joe 2'', when a third game is hinted at as revealing the secret of the Black V-Watch and Black Film, when a castle suddenly appears in the real world. Whether or not ''Double Trouble'' is meant to be the third game of the series is not exactly specified, although both the story and the endings of that game hint that it's not. A new development team called Seeds(now called Platinum Games) has been formed from the staff of the now defunct Clover Studio, opening the possibility of a third game. Also, one of Clover Studio's franchises, [[Okami]], is being re-released for the Nintendo Wii, thus meaning that Capcom could have plans for using other Clover Studio licences (Viewtiful Joe being one of them) in the future.


{{Clear}}
==References to other media==
*The title "Viewtiful Joe" is a reference to [[Beautiful Joe]].
* (Viewtiful) Joe wears a large scarf with his costume. This is a homage to [[Kamen Rider]] Ichi-go and Nii-go (as well as many other "Classic" Riders), which feature a large scarf as part of their costume.
* The V-watch bears a slight resemblance to the original Kamen Rider Henshin-belt. The V-Watch also bears resemblance to the watches used in Gatchaman (Battle of the Planets in the US)
* The pose struck by Joe as he makes his transformation into Viewtiful Joe is almost exactly the same as the classic [[henshin]] pose from the [[Kamen Rider]] series.
* One of Viewtiful Joe's moves - the ''Red Hot Kick'' - emulates the classic finishing move held by nearly every [[Kamen Rider]]: the ''[[Rider Kick]]''.
* "'''''Who ever wins, has to change into a yellow outfit'''''" Joe says this to Another Joe in order to dissuade the twin from winning. This is a reference to the older series of [[Kamen Rider]], in which the protagonist would often have to face an evil double (frequently several) that was (were) distinguished from the hero by the yellow scarf that it (they) wore. It could also be a reference to [[Flash (comics)|the Flash]] and [[Professor Zoom|Zoom]] (the Reverse-Flash) They both have the same high speed powers, but Zoom wears yellow and is evil, while the Flash wears red and is a hero. Perhaps as a nod to this scene, one of Joe's alternate color choices in ''[[Viewtiful Joe: Red Hot Rumble|Red Hot Rumble]]'' is a yellow outfit.
* Joe yells "Toh!" when jumping, like early tokusatsu heroes such as the Kamen Riders when performing super-long or high jumps.
* The hero costumes worn by Joe, Silvia, and Captain Blue (among others) are clearly based on the costumes worn by the various hero teams from the [[Super Sentai]] series.
* King Blue strangely resembles the [[Chouriki Sentai Ohranger]] villain known as Emperor Bacchus-Rage, more commonly known as King Mondo from [[Power Rangers: Zeo]]
* The penultimate battle in the game is set up much like a mecha battle, a prominent feature from the [[Super Sentai]] series.
*Before the battle with Hulk Davidson, Joe is asked "''So what's with the V-Watch on your arm? What, you think you're some kinda [[Mega Man]] or something?''", referring to Capcom's famous little blue robot.
* Hold the kick button to take out a bomb, before Joe kicks it off, he whistles to the beginning parts of Super Mario Bros. theme. This gag, however, was of course removed from the PS2 version for copyright reasons.
* Next to be influenced by the mechas of the "''Sentai''" shows, the Six Machine's cockpit appears to be influenced by [[Mazinger Z]]'s Pilder.
* On the back of the original Viewtiful Joe box, you can see the classic Nintendo toy robot, [[R.O.B.]], in the showcase along with the Captain Blue model. R.O.B. also makes an appearance as an item-box holder at the start of the game's final stage. This was removed from the PS2 version.
* If you look closely at Gran Bruce's mouth when he regurgitates trash, (during the fight with him) you can see a Nintendo Gamecube. This was taken out of the PS2 version for obvious reasons.
* The posters that are shown during the ending credits are plays on several famous movie posters:
** The movie poster for the first stage, ''Joe the Hero'', is a parody of the ''[[Dracula (1958 film)|Horror of Dracula]]'' movie poster from 1958.
** The movie poster for the second stage, ''Some Like it Red Hot'', is a parody of the ''[[King Kong]]'' movie poster from 1933. The stage's name is a parody of [[Marilyn Monroe]]'s 1959 movie ''[[Some Like it Hot]]''.
** The movie poster for the third stage, ''Two Million Leagues Under the Sea'', is a parody of the movie poster for ''[[Jaws 2]]'', with Silvia water skiing and Gran Bruce coming up behind her. The stage's title is a parody of the novel ''[[Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea]]''.
** The movie poster for the fourth page, ''The Viewtiful Escape'', is a parody of the movie poster for ''[[The Hunt for Red October (film)|The Hunt for Red October]]'' from 1990. The stage's name may be a parody of ''[[The Great Escape (film)|The Great Escape]]''.
** The movie poster for the fifth stage, ''The Midnight Thunder Boy'', is a bit of a play of Capcom's own ''[[Devil May Cry]]'', with Goldie in the logo instead of Trish. The stages name is also a parody of a 1969 film named ''[[Midnight Cowboy]]''.
** The movie poster for the sixth stage, ''The Magnificent Five'', is a parody of the movie poster for [[Russell Crowe]]'s film ''[[Gladiator (2000 film)|Gladiator]]'', with Fire Leo in place of Crowe. The stage's name is a parody of ''[[The Magnificent Seven]]''.
** The movie poster for the final stage, ''Joe & Silvia'', is an obvious homage to the classic ''[[Star Wars]]'' movie poster.
*Many of the sound effects in the series are also used in the classic Ruby-Spears "Megaman" cartoon, as well as the character Jet Black, who is clearly an homage to the character Jet, from an episode of said cartoon. In the cartoon, at one point, Megaman is sent to a dark future where Dr. Wily has taken over the world, and one of the oppressed citizens he meets (and is a main character in the episode) is named Jet, has red hair, and a similar suit to the Jet in Viewtiful Joe. His hair style and light amount of facial hair are also extremely similar. It should also be noted that his niece refers to him as "Uncle Jet" in a similar manner as Silvia does in the games (although in the cartoon he is an actual uncle).
*At the start of the level 'Midnight Thunder Boy' Joe talks to his fists saying "Time to go to work guys!" This same line is said by Dante at the start of [[Devil May Cry]] except he is talking to his guns Ebony & Ivory.
*When Joe beats Captain Blue, the song that plays ( 'EV05 Confession' ) is a remix of the 'Reminiscence ~ Classroom Trial' track from [[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]]. Masakazu Sugimori, the co-music director for Viewtiful Joe, also did the music for [[Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney]].


====Construction of the 'new' Tournament Bridge====
==References==
The new bridge may have been erected by the 13th Earl at some time between 1843 and 1856 as part of the total re-modelling of the course of the Lugton Water which had been first undertaken by the 12th Earl (1740 - 1819)<ref name="IDC276">''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 27.</ref> and which included the alteration of its course, the removal of the lakes or ponds and the creation of several weirs. The Lugton Water is liable to severe floods<ref name="Archive">The Eglinton Archive.</ref> and damage to the easily broken cast iron work by the force of the current, may have been a reason for its reconstruction at a different site. The first [[Ordnance Survey]] map of 1856 shows the two arched bridge in position, a weir at the position of the old bridge and by this time the old lake had gone, replaced by a canalised Lugton Water with several weirs.
<div class="references-small">
[[Image:Robertsonscunn2.jpg|right|thimb|200px|<Center>Robertosn's Map of the 1820s showing a lochan at Eglinton Castle.]]
<references />
Ironically the strengthening work done on the 'new' bridge to produce an extra arch of bricks in addition to the cast iron, may have weakened the structure, contributing to its eventual partial collapse.<ref name="NAC4">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref> The army used the bridge extensively with large lorries and even tanks crossong over it.
</div>


The lower courses of ashlar<ref name="Ashlar">[http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A_Researcher%27s_Guide_to_Local_History_Terminology - Ashlar]</ref> on the bridge abutments and central pier were vermiculate.<ref name="Vermiculate">[http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A_Researcher%27s_Guide_to_Local_History_Terminology - Vermiculate stonework]</ref> At some point the height of the weir beneath had been raised using an odd assortment of re-used stonework; this would have increased the depth and extent of the waters behind it. The central pier and the original weir had used reworked but re-cycled stone, probably from Kilwinning Abbey; as illustrated by a stone window surround recovered during restoration work (See illustration).
==External links==
*[http://www.capcom.com/vj2/ Official American Viewtiful Joe website]
*[http://www.capcom.co.jp/vj/index.html Capcom Japan: Viewtiful Joe official site]
*[http://www.mobygames.com/developer/sheet/view/developerId,79033/ Atsushi Inaba info at Moby Games]
*{{moby game|id=/viewtiful-joe|name=''Viewtiful Joe''}}


Examination of the top of the outer towers shows that something was attached to the centres, the 'plug' hole still being present. It is possible that the holes are relate dto the method of lifting them into position during construction work. The larger towers are capped with cement and nothing is therefore visible. During restoration work (2008) electricity power cables or possibly gas pipes were located leading to the bridge and they may have served lights on top of some or all of the towers.<ref name="NAC6">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref> These are not visible in the available illustrations. The [[Eglinton Country Park|Eglinton estate]] had its own gasworks and later its own power station, so it would have been natural to provide lighting on the bridge. The old [[Ordnance Survey|OS maps]] show that by 1897 the gas works had been established here to supply the castle and offices, whilst by 1911 this had been replaced by an electricity works; the present day park workshop.
{{Viewtiful Joe}}
[[Image:Numbered section cast iron arch.JPG|left|thumb|200px|<center>Numbering on the cast iron arch sections.]]


The larger and taller inner towers appear to have been re-used from the older bridge, this being confirmed by the presence of ornate carving which is now obscured by the low wall leading to them from the smaller towers. The curtain walls and the smaller and lower outer towers are made from a different type of stone and, as stated, the towers have a number of architectural differences, suggesting that they were made specifically for the 'new' Tournament Bridge (See photographs). During work on the central pier it was found that some of the hidden infill work is vermiculate ashlar from the 'old' bridge.
[[Category:2003 video games]]
[[Category:2004 video games]]
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The cast iron sections of the arches are numbered and some of the sequence are absent, suggesting that these missing sections may have been damaged previously beyond repair and were not used therefore in the 'new' bridge.
[[de:Viewtiful Joe]]

[[es:Viewtiful Joe]]
{{Clear}}
[[fr:Viewtiful Joe]]

[[it:Viewtiful Joe]]
=== Older bridges gallery ===
[[ja:ビューティフル ジョー]]
<gallery>
[[pt:Viewtiful Joe (Anime)]]
Image:Eglinton Castle and wooden bridge. 1815..jpg|<Center>A view of the castle and a wooden footbridge in 1815.
[[fi:Viewtiful Joe]]
Image:Eglinton Castle Bridge of 1815.jpg|<Center>Details of the wooden bridge.
[[sv:Viewtiful Joe]]
Image:Eglinton Castle, Irvine, circa 1840.jpg|<Center>The castle and bridge in 1815. Three arches and a lake are depicted.
Image:Eglinton tournament bridge in 1843.jpg|<Center>Eglinton Castle & Bridge. This again shows the original three arched bridge, lake, etc. Circa 1843.<ref name="Wreath">''The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843):a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire.'' Pub. H. Crawford & son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page</ref>
</gallery>

=== The 'new' Tournament Bridge ===
<gallery>
Image:Restored Tournament Bridge 1980.jpg|<Center>The Tournament bridge as restored in the 1980s.
Image:Tournament bridge in flood conditions.jpg|<Center>Flood conditions.
Image:Eglintontournamentbridge.JPG|<center>The Tournament Bridge over the Lugton Water in 2007.
Image:Tournamentbridge2.JPG|<center>The approach to the Tournament Bridge from the stables in 2007.
Image:Tournament Bridge benchmark.JPG|<Center>A [[benchmark]] on one of the bridge towers.
Image:Large Tournament bridge tower.JPG|<Center>One of the large bridge towers, probably recycled from the 1811 bridge.
Image:Small tournament bridge tower.JPG|<Center>One of the smaller towers with subtle design and carving differences suggesting a later date of construction.
Image:Vermiculate ashlar stonework Tournament Brdige.JPG|<Center>Vermiculate ashlar stonework on the abutment of the bridge at water level.
Image:Recycled stone Tournament Bridge.JPG|<Center>A reworked stone window ledge, possibly from Kilwinning Abbey, used in the weir at the central pier.
Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge construction details.jpg|<Center>Details of how one of the recycled towers has been incoroprated into the new design.
Image:Hydrodemolition damage.JPG|<center>Hydrodemolition damage to the central pier.
Image:Recycled bridge stone.JPG|<Center>Recycled stones built into the weir beneath the bridge. One has the remains of two [[Corbel|corbels]] and may well have come from the pre-1802 medieval castle.
Image:Mason's mark.JPG|<Center>A Mason's Mark on the corbelled stone.
Image:Tournament Bridge piers.JPG|<Center>A cut water, possibly from the 'new bridge,' but removed during the 'army works.'
Image:Tournament Bridge old tower section.JPG|<Center>A section of an 'old' bridge tower used in the weir.
Image:Tournament Bridge weir.JPG|<Center>The weir made from sections of the old large 'towers.'
</gallery>

== The Tournament Bridge and WWII ==
The Eglinton Castle Estate was requisitioned during [[World War II]] and during this occupation the Tournament Bridge partly collapsed, partly due to alterations which had been made earlier by the Eglinton Estate, involving supposed strengthening using brickwork, as revealed during the 2008 restoration work.<ref name="NAC2">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref> The bridge was never designed to take the heavy army lorries and tanks which used the bridge during the army occupation of the site and this led to a partial collapse in the 1940s. To save the bridge from total collapse the army Royal Engineers Regiment removed the cast iron outer facia coverings and the pinnacles, encasing the remaining cast iron arches in concrete as can be seen from contemporary photographs and as further revealed during restoration work. It is not known what happened to the pinnacles and cast iron coverings. It had been thought that they were safely in storage, however enquiries have led to nothing.<ref name="NAC2">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref>

==== Repair work ====
<gallery>
Image:Tournament Bridge collapse, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire.jpg|A view showing the partial collapse of the bridge.
Image:Tournament Bridge, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire in the 1930s.jpg|Repair work underway, showing the shuttering for the concrete.
Image:Tournament Bridge repaired, Eglinton, Ayrshire.jpg|The repaired bridge. Note the simple wooden handrail and the remaining exposed iron arch.
Image:Tournament Bridge repaired, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire.jpg|A view of the whole of the repaired bridge. Note the army personnel and lots of children fishing, etc.
</gallery>

== Other estate bridges ==
[[Image:Ainslie's Eglinton in 1790.JPG|left|thumb|<center>John Ainslie's 1790 map showing pleasure garden on the opposite side of the Lugton Water to the castle in what became part of the deer park.]]
[[Image:Eglinton in 1790.JPG|right|thumb|<center>John Ainslie's 1790 map showing pleasure garden on the opposite side of the Lugton Water to the castle in what became part of the deer park.]]
Originally the river would have been crossed by simple fords, however by the 18th century ornamental pleasure gardens had been formed and these were partly situated in what later became the deer park. No signs of these gardens are now visible, apart from [[Crop mark]]s on aerial photographs taken around the end of the Second World War. A bridge was necessary to give access to the ornamental gardens and one is indicated on John Ainslie's map dated 1790, crossing the Lugton Water close to the castle itself. A small wooden bridge across the Lugton Water is shown in an illustration from around 1815, however this may not have been across the Lugton Water. Thomson's map of 1828 (See illustration) indicates a bridge crossing the Lugton Water at the castle where the three arched bridge was and a drive starting off at the position of the present day bridge, which may have been a ford at the time. Another bridge is suggested further upstream and close to the castle.<ref name="Thomson">Thomson, John (1828). A Map of the Northern Part of Ayrshire.</ref> The wooden Laundry Bridge stood close to the castle and downstream from it was second wooden bridge which was washed away in a storm in 1938. Local children used it to build rafts.
[[Image:William Roy, Eglinton, 1747 - 55.jpg|left|200px|thumb|<Center>William Roy's 1747 - 55 map<ref name=Roy">Roy, William (1747 - 55) Military Map of Scotland.</ref> showing a bridge only upstream of the castle, roughly where Thomson also shows a bridge in his 1828 map.]]
[[Image:Eglinton by John Thomson 1828.jpg|right|thumb|200px|<Center>John Thomson's 1828 map showing the position of the old Tournamaent bridge. Here a drive and a possible building are located at the site of the 'new' Tournament Bridge.<ref name="Thomson">Thomson, John (1828). A Map of the Northern Part of Ayrshire.</ref>]]
The restored Stables Bridge, also called Lady Jane's Bridge, lies on the Kilwinning Lodge drive and just downstream from it stood an elegant cast-iron bridge with a 50 foot span.<ref name="Aiton2">Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr.</ref> This bridge had high quality stonework on both of the abutments, much of which survive. This bridge gave access to the kitchen walled gardens and glasshouse ranges and lasted into the mid 1940s when the army removed it.

The Suspension Bridge built by the army in the 1980s on behalf of the country park lies just below the weir beside the ruined gazebo. Lady Jane's cottage had a wooded pedestrian footbridge of which no sign remains.

The restored Diamond Bridge lies upstream near the Eglinton Loch and continues to give access to the old Toll Road from Irvine to Kilwinning via [[Fergushill]]. This bridge was named after the nearby Black Diamond mine, the spoil heap or bing of which still remains rear the Chapelholm Gate. The colliery name in turn was associated with one of the 13th Earl's favourite horses, Black Diamond.
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== A Gallery of the other bridges ==
<gallery>
Image:Lugtoneglintonbridge.JPG|<center>The suspension bridge over the Lugton Water.
Image:The Eglinton Suspension Bridge.JPG|<Center>The suspension bridge and cascade weir.
Image:Eglinton Lady Jane's cottage.jpg|<center>Lady Jane's cottage with its footbridge across the Lugton Water.
Image:Diamond Bridge restoration.jpg|<Center>The Diamond Bridge undergoing restoration.
Image:Eglinton Chapelholms bridge.JPG|<center>The Chapelholm or 'Diamond' bridge.
Image:Eglinton stables bridge.JPG|<center>The Stable's Bridge.
Image:Abutment of bridge in Eglinton.JPG‎|<Center>An abutment of the old Walled Garden bridge. Iron work is embedded in the structure, which was faced with high quality vermiculate ashlar stonework.
Image:Stucco stone from footbridge.JPG|<Center>A vermiculate<ref name="Vermiculate">[http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/A_Researcher%27s_Guide_to_Local_History_Terminology Vermiculate stonework]</ref> stone from the ornate Walled Garden bridge.
Image:Laundry Bridge.JPG|<Center>The original Laundry Bridge in the 1900s.
Image:Castle Bridge side view.JPG|<Center>The 'new' castle or Laundry footbridge.
Image:Castle Bridge 1.JPG|<Center>The view across the Laundry or Castle Bridge.
</gallery>

== Lugton Water ==
[[Image:Lugtoneglintonweir.JPG|right|thumb|230px|<center>The substantial weir on the Lugton Water near the Suspension Bridge in 2008.]]
[[Image:Weir at site of old Tournament Bridge.JPG|left|thumb|<Center>The Weir on the Lugton Water at the site of the old three arched Tournament Bridge.]]
The [[River Irvine|Lugton Water]] was diverted and altered several times, for example in the 1790s its course was altered by the 12th Earl (1740 - 1819)<ref name="IDC27">''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 27.</ref> to run behind the Garden Cottage, rather than in front of it. The width was also changed at times, for instance five ponds or lakes were created by large weirs at one stage; the one at the Tournament Bridge is clearly visible in older prints of the 1840s (see illustrations) shown.<ref name = "Montgomeries79">Montgomeries of Eglinton. Ayr Division. Strathclyde Department of Education. P. 94.</ref>

The size, shape and position of the various weirs was altered several times, latterly by Clement Wilson of the canning factory. One of the weirs lies directly beneath the restored Tournament Bridge. The one below the site of the old [[Bowling Green]] and [[Robert Burns]]'s garden was 'U' shaped, holding back sufficient water at one time to form a lake with a small island bearing a single [[yew]] tree. The 1938 [[Ordnance Survey|OS]] map shows no fewer than seven weirs between the castle and the present day Suspension Bridge.
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== The Clement Wilson gardens ==
[[Image:Yew tree weir, Lugton Water, Irvine, Scotland..jpg|right|thumb|<Center>The Clement Wilson Gardens in the 1970s.]]
In 1948 the Trustees of the late 16th Earl sold most of the remaining parts of the estate to Robert Howie and Sons of [[Dunlop]] for £24,000<ref name="IDC12">''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 12.</ref><ref name="Sharp5">Sharp, Cameron (2007). ''Eglinton Country Park Management Plan for 2007 - 2011''. North Ayrshire Council. P. 5.</ref> and in the 1950s the Wilson family purchased the Tournament Bridge, old offices, castle ruins, and other land from Robert Howie and Sons.

Clement Wilson, the food processing factory owner, established the Clement Wilson Foundation which opened part of the grounds to the public, spending around £400,000 (around £4,317,000 in 2008 terms) on partially restoring the Tournament Bridge, consolidating the castle ruins, planting trees, landscaping, making paths, creating a rockery and waterfall feature, etc.<ref name="Wilson">Wilson, James (2008). Eglinton Archives - Written correspondence.</ref>

== 2008 restoration ==

[[Image:Tournament Bridge 2008.jpg|thumb|The bridge partially dismantled and half way through hydrodemolition during renovation in May 2008.]]
[[Image:Dam at Tournament Bridge.JPG|left|thumb|<Center>The temporary earth dam in the Lugton Water.]]
The restoration of the Tournament Bridge involves a faithful and historic renovation of the Tournament Bridge, based on surviving documentary evidence. [[Historic Scotland]] requires a ‘faithful restoration where all details are replicated as closely as possible in terms of material, design and construction’.
[[Image:Turnament bridge repair.JPG|right|thumb|<Center>Close up of a repair to the cracked cast iron.]]
The existing concrete arches are to be removed as is the infill above. The arches will be replaced with the existing refurbished cast iron arch sections and new cast iron fascia sections, which will restore the original width of the structure. A secondary stainless steel pedestrian parapet is to be provided immediately behind the ballustrading. The load bearing capacity of the bridge will be carried by a modern steel structure concealed beneath the deck surface which will be timber, as this was considered to be the original material.<ref name=NACmins">[http://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/chiefexec/minutes.nsf/6939f82190c5aae2802572dd0046f16c/2e30178e790d6ec8802573f300400832?OpenDocument Minutes of North Ayrshire Council Executive Committee]</ref>

The current timber parapets will be replaced with cast iron sections to match the original items. All of the cast iron elements are to be fabricated and fitted by the Ballantine [[Bo'ness]] Iron Company to restore the splendour of the original structure.<ref name="Irvine Herald">The Irvine Herald, Friday 25th April, 2008. P. 10.</ref>

The restoration involved [[hydrodemolition]] to expose the cast iron arches through removing the concrete in which they had been embeded. This process used very high pressure water jets and confirmed the poor structural integrity of the iron arches. They were not however intended to be load bearing in the restored bridge and an upside was the degree of Gothic artwork found to exist on the arches.<ref name="NAC2">North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008</ref>

The estimated total project cost is £720k. Historic Scotland have indicated that they would be able to contribute some £161k, around £5k will be provided in kind, and the shortfall of £354k was the subject of the successful grant application to the [[Heritage Lottery Fund]].<ref name="NAC">[http://www.north-ayrshire.gov.uk/ChiefExec/CommRA07.nsf/e9ee67f48fbb9003802569d700533758/1f6211e0e2530ce4802573e60045da0f?OpenDocument North Ayrshire Council minutes and the Tournament Bridge restoration]</ref>

===2008 restoration gallery===
<gallery>
Image:DSCN5379.JPG|<Center>Work begins.
Image:DSCN3137.JPG|<Center>A hydrodemolition operative in protective clothing.
Image:DSCN3200.JPG|<Center>A cast iron cross strut holding the arches together so they do not move sideways.
Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge cast iron beams.jpg|<Center>Detail of the cast iron arches.
Image:DSCN3202.JPG|<Center>Detail of the Gothic ornamentation on the cast iron arches. Note the cracks in the ironwork.
Image:DSCN3208.JPG|<Center>The concrete decking prior to hydrodemolition and the exposure of the cast iron arches.
Image:DSCN3158.JPG|<Center>The concrete removed and the cast iron arches exposed.
Image:DSCN3078.JPG|<Center>Brickwork exposed between the cast iron arches.
Image:DSCN3163.JPG|<Center>Fully exposed cast iron arches.
Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge construction details of pier.jpg|<Center>Details of the central pier's construction.
Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge scaffolding.jpg|<Center>Ready for painting.
Image:Central pier Tournament Bridge.JPG|<Center>The white protective paint and the central pier.
Image:Tournament Bridge cutwater repairs.JPG|<Center>Repairs underway to the central pier and cutwaters.
Image:Iron stone binding.JPG|<center>An old iron stone block binding. These expanded as they rusted and ironically led to the loosening of the stonework.
Image:Eglinton Masons.JPG|<center>At work on the stone for the central pier. Note the craft tools.
Image:Tournament Bridge Mason.JPG|<center>Marking out a block before cutting out the design.
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[The Iron Bridge]] - the world's first iron bridge

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{commonscat|Footbridges}}

[[Category:Bridges in Scotland]]
[[Category:Pedestrian bridges]]
[[Category:Gothic architecture|*]]
[[Category:History of North Ayrshire]]

Revision as of 18:37, 3 September 2008

Eglinton Tournament Bridge
Tournament Bridge and castle in 1876[1]
Coordinates55°38′41″N 4°40′12″W / 55.6446°N 4.6699°W / 55.6446; -4.6699
CarriesPedestrians
CrossesLugton Water
LocaleEglinton Country Park
Official nameTournament Bridge
Maintained byNorth Ayrshire Council
Historic Scotland
Characteristics
DesignGothic
History
Openedc. 1845
Location
Map

The Eglinton Tournament Bridge is a bridge located within Eglinton Country Park near Kilwinning, North Ayrshire, Scotland. The bridge crosses the Lugton Water a short distance northwest of Eglinton Castle (OS ref: NS32064224) and was named after the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. The castle and surrounding grounds were once home to the Montgomerie family, Earls of Eglinton and chiefs of the Clan Montgomery.

History

See also: Eglinton Castle

The Tournament Bridges

The surviving Tournament Bridge was built to provide an appropriate crossing point to gain access to the far side of the Lugton Water. Archibald Montgomerie, the 13th Earl of Eglinton had the bridge built in a Gothic style, using cast iron for the arches, pinnacles, etc. and stone for the two pairs of miniature ornamental towers at either end. These towers have subtle design differences (See photographs) which are significant in the context of the extended history of the bridge. This 'Tournament' bridge was designed by the architect David Hamilton. The bridge's cast iron parapet is a repetition of the pointed Gothic arch design of the castle, surmounted by a battlement, and relieved in the centre with foliated pinnacles.[2] The Tournament Bridge is B listed by Historic Scotland.[3]

The original Tournament Bridge and the procession in 1839. Note the three cast iron arches, crossed finials, pinnacles, and the taller, broader towers, etc. characteristic of that bridge.[4]
A map showing the layout of the various features associated with the Eglinton Tournament. Note the lakes either side of the bridge[5], formed around 1800.[6]

The 1839 Eglinton Tournament was held on a meadow or holm at a loop in the Lugton Water. Most of the holm no longer exists, the excavations in this area having provided gravel and sand for the construction of the Kilwinning bypass and leaving behind an excavation pit which is now known as Eglinton Loch. The Knights on horseback and their retinue reached the tilt yard ('C' on the map) via an enclosed ride ('G' on the map), whilst the guests and visitors made their way to the stands via the route marked 'F' on the map illustrated. Both groups crossed over the previous three arched Gothic bridge. A map of 1837 of Eglinton Castle, Grounds and Tilt yard of 1837 shows that the tilt yard was already in extistence at this early date, but it is not recorded what its fate was after the tournament was over.[7]

The castle and Tournament Bridge in 1884.

The 'new' Tournament Bridge served as a well used route across the Lugton Water, running through the deer park to the Eglinton kennels (previously Laigh Moncur), especially on days when the Eglinton Hunt met at the castle itself.

The 'old' Tournament Bridge converted artificially to two arches, etc for comparison.

The original bridge, also with two miniature towers, but with three arches and four pinnacles, stood roughly 100 yards further up the river towards the castle,[8] as shown in several contemporary prints and maps as illustrated in the appropriate gallery of this article.[9] It was this bridge that was used at the Eglinton Tournament as can be seen from the illustrations of the event, however the name was passed on to the 'new' bridge constructed downstream of it. No clear sign of this three arched bridge remains, a weir having been built at its old position; the 'old' bridge was constructed in 1811[10][11], therefore around the time of the 'new' castle being built in 1801/2 and also when the grounds were being laid out by Tweedie.

Surviving architects drawings show the designs for a three arched bridge and as stated, contemporary prints of the Eglinton Tournament also show a three arched Tournament bridge, with cast iron arches, pinnacles and parapets which may have been re-used in the later 'new' bridge which survives today.

The point at which the 'old' bridge crossed the Lugton was 102 feet broad and 100 yards downriver from the castle.[12] It had the Montgomerie coat of arms in the centre. Aiton describes it as being under construction in 1811.[13] The miniature castle towers on the demolished bridge are shown as each being surmounted by a double cross, but these do not figure on the 'new' Tournament Bridge; the 'old' bridge therefore may have been specially embellished for the tournament with temporary additions.

A view of the Tournament Bridge at its 'new' site. The level of the weir was lower at this time and was raised at a later date using randomly chosen stones to raise the water level.[14]
The Lord of the Tournament (Earl of Eglinton) and his esquires and retainers crossing the bridge.[15]

A local minister, the Rev. Lee Ker, confirms which bridge was used at the tournament by relating in his book on Kilwinning that the tournament procession passed over the Water of Lugton by what is now called the Tournament Bridge, but which was then situated about 100 yards nearer the Castle and had three arches instead of two.[16] This distance coincides with a weir today and an old path from the castle leads directly to it. Dane Love states that the bridge used by the tournament had been built by the 12th Earl in 1811.[17] In contemporary reports of the tournament no special mention of the bridge is made, suggesting that it was already a well established feature of the estate by that time and not an extravagant new feature specially built for the event.

Lauchlan[18] confuses the issue by stating that an older bridge with three arches existed 100 yards up from the present one, however he states that the present bridge was built for the tournament. The old three arched bridge in fact still existed in 1840[19] and at least as late as 1843.[20]

Construction of the 'new' Tournament Bridge

The new bridge may have been erected by the 13th Earl at some time between 1843 and 1856 as part of the total re-modelling of the course of the Lugton Water which had been first undertaken by the 12th Earl (1740 - 1819)[21] and which included the alteration of its course, the removal of the lakes or ponds and the creation of several weirs. The Lugton Water is liable to severe floods[22] and damage to the easily broken cast iron work by the force of the current, may have been a reason for its reconstruction at a different site. The first Ordnance Survey map of 1856 shows the two arched bridge in position, a weir at the position of the old bridge and by this time the old lake had gone, replaced by a canalised Lugton Water with several weirs.

Robertosn's Map of the 1820s showing a lochan at Eglinton Castle.
Robertosn's Map of the 1820s showing a lochan at Eglinton Castle.

Ironically the strengthening work done on the 'new' bridge to produce an extra arch of bricks in addition to the cast iron, may have weakened the structure, contributing to its eventual partial collapse.[23] The army used the bridge extensively with large lorries and even tanks crossong over it.

The lower courses of ashlar[24] on the bridge abutments and central pier were vermiculate.[25] At some point the height of the weir beneath had been raised using an odd assortment of re-used stonework; this would have increased the depth and extent of the waters behind it. The central pier and the original weir had used reworked but re-cycled stone, probably from Kilwinning Abbey; as illustrated by a stone window surround recovered during restoration work (See illustration).

Examination of the top of the outer towers shows that something was attached to the centres, the 'plug' hole still being present. It is possible that the holes are relate dto the method of lifting them into position during construction work. The larger towers are capped with cement and nothing is therefore visible. During restoration work (2008) electricity power cables or possibly gas pipes were located leading to the bridge and they may have served lights on top of some or all of the towers.[26] These are not visible in the available illustrations. The Eglinton estate had its own gasworks and later its own power station, so it would have been natural to provide lighting on the bridge. The old OS maps show that by 1897 the gas works had been established here to supply the castle and offices, whilst by 1911 this had been replaced by an electricity works; the present day park workshop.

Numbering on the cast iron arch sections.

The larger and taller inner towers appear to have been re-used from the older bridge, this being confirmed by the presence of ornate carving which is now obscured by the low wall leading to them from the smaller towers. The curtain walls and the smaller and lower outer towers are made from a different type of stone and, as stated, the towers have a number of architectural differences, suggesting that they were made specifically for the 'new' Tournament Bridge (See photographs). During work on the central pier it was found that some of the hidden infill work is vermiculate ashlar from the 'old' bridge.

The cast iron sections of the arches are numbered and some of the sequence are absent, suggesting that these missing sections may have been damaged previously beyond repair and were not used therefore in the 'new' bridge.

Older bridges gallery

  • A view of the castle and a wooden footbridge in 1815.
    A view of the castle and a wooden footbridge in 1815.
  • Details of the wooden bridge.
    Details of the wooden bridge.
  • The castle and bridge in 1815. Three arches and a lake are depicted.
    The castle and bridge in 1815. Three arches and a lake are depicted.
  • Eglinton Castle & Bridge. This again shows the original three arched bridge, lake, etc. Circa 1843.[27]
    Eglinton Castle & Bridge. This again shows the original three arched bridge, lake, etc. Circa 1843.[27]

The 'new' Tournament Bridge

  • The Tournament bridge as restored in the 1980s.
    The Tournament bridge as restored in the 1980s.
  • Flood conditions.
    Flood conditions.
  • The Tournament Bridge over the Lugton Water in 2007.
    The Tournament Bridge over the Lugton Water in 2007.
  • The approach to the Tournament Bridge from the stables in 2007.
    The approach to the Tournament Bridge from the stables in 2007.
  • A benchmark on one of the bridge towers.
    A benchmark on one of the bridge towers.
  • One of the large bridge towers, probably recycled from the 1811 bridge.
    One of the large bridge towers, probably recycled from the 1811 bridge.
  • One of the smaller towers with subtle design and carving differences suggesting a later date of construction.
    One of the smaller towers with subtle design and carving differences suggesting a later date of construction.
  • Vermiculate ashlar stonework on the abutment of the bridge at water level.
    Vermiculate ashlar stonework on the abutment of the bridge at water level.
  • A reworked stone window ledge, possibly from Kilwinning Abbey, used in the weir at the central pier.
    A reworked stone window ledge, possibly from Kilwinning Abbey, used in the weir at the central pier.
  • Details of how one of the recycled towers has been incoroprated into the new design.
    Details of how one of the recycled towers has been incoroprated into the new design.
  • Hydrodemolition damage to the central pier.
    Hydrodemolition damage to the central pier.
  • Recycled stones built into the weir beneath the bridge. One has the remains of two corbels and may well have come from the pre-1802 medieval castle.
    Recycled stones built into the weir beneath the bridge. One has the remains of two corbels and may well have come from the pre-1802 medieval castle.
  • A Mason's Mark on the corbelled stone.
    A Mason's Mark on the corbelled stone.
  • A cut water, possibly from the 'new bridge,' but removed during the 'army works.'
    A cut water, possibly from the 'new bridge,' but removed during the 'army works.'
  • A section of an 'old' bridge tower used in the weir.
    A section of an 'old' bridge tower used in the weir.
  • The weir made from sections of the old large 'towers.'
    The weir made from sections of the old large 'towers.'

The Tournament Bridge and WWII

The Eglinton Castle Estate was requisitioned during World War II and during this occupation the Tournament Bridge partly collapsed, partly due to alterations which had been made earlier by the Eglinton Estate, involving supposed strengthening using brickwork, as revealed during the 2008 restoration work.[28] The bridge was never designed to take the heavy army lorries and tanks which used the bridge during the army occupation of the site and this led to a partial collapse in the 1940s. To save the bridge from total collapse the army Royal Engineers Regiment removed the cast iron outer facia coverings and the pinnacles, encasing the remaining cast iron arches in concrete as can be seen from contemporary photographs and as further revealed during restoration work. It is not known what happened to the pinnacles and cast iron coverings. It had been thought that they were safely in storage, however enquiries have led to nothing.[28]

Repair work

  • A view showing the partial collapse of the bridge.
    A view showing the partial collapse of the bridge.
  • Repair work underway, showing the shuttering for the concrete.
    Repair work underway, showing the shuttering for the concrete.
  • The repaired bridge. Note the simple wooden handrail and the remaining exposed iron arch.
    The repaired bridge. Note the simple wooden handrail and the remaining exposed iron arch.
  • A view of the whole of the repaired bridge. Note the army personnel and lots of children fishing, etc.
    A view of the whole of the repaired bridge. Note the army personnel and lots of children fishing, etc.

Other estate bridges

John Ainslie's 1790 map showing pleasure garden on the opposite side of the Lugton Water to the castle in what became part of the deer park.
John Ainslie's 1790 map showing pleasure garden on the opposite side of the Lugton Water to the castle in what became part of the deer park.

Originally the river would have been crossed by simple fords, however by the 18th century ornamental pleasure gardens had been formed and these were partly situated in what later became the deer park. No signs of these gardens are now visible, apart from Crop marks on aerial photographs taken around the end of the Second World War. A bridge was necessary to give access to the ornamental gardens and one is indicated on John Ainslie's map dated 1790, crossing the Lugton Water close to the castle itself. A small wooden bridge across the Lugton Water is shown in an illustration from around 1815, however this may not have been across the Lugton Water. Thomson's map of 1828 (See illustration) indicates a bridge crossing the Lugton Water at the castle where the three arched bridge was and a drive starting off at the position of the present day bridge, which may have been a ford at the time. Another bridge is suggested further upstream and close to the castle.[29] The wooden Laundry Bridge stood close to the castle and downstream from it was second wooden bridge which was washed away in a storm in 1938. Local children used it to build rafts.

William Roy's 1747 - 55 map[30] showing a bridge only upstream of the castle, roughly where Thomson also shows a bridge in his 1828 map.
John Thomson's 1828 map showing the position of the old Tournamaent bridge. Here a drive and a possible building are located at the site of the 'new' Tournament Bridge.[29]

The restored Stables Bridge, also called Lady Jane's Bridge, lies on the Kilwinning Lodge drive and just downstream from it stood an elegant cast-iron bridge with a 50 foot span.[12] This bridge had high quality stonework on both of the abutments, much of which survive. This bridge gave access to the kitchen walled gardens and glasshouse ranges and lasted into the mid 1940s when the army removed it.

The Suspension Bridge built by the army in the 1980s on behalf of the country park lies just below the weir beside the ruined gazebo. Lady Jane's cottage had a wooded pedestrian footbridge of which no sign remains.

The restored Diamond Bridge lies upstream near the Eglinton Loch and continues to give access to the old Toll Road from Irvine to Kilwinning via Fergushill. This bridge was named after the nearby Black Diamond mine, the spoil heap or bing of which still remains rear the Chapelholm Gate. The colliery name in turn was associated with one of the 13th Earl's favourite horses, Black Diamond.

A Gallery of the other bridges

  • The suspension bridge over the Lugton Water.
    The suspension bridge over the Lugton Water.
  • The suspension bridge and cascade weir.
    The suspension bridge and cascade weir.
  • Lady Jane's cottage with its footbridge across the Lugton Water.
    Lady Jane's cottage with its footbridge across the Lugton Water.
  • The Diamond Bridge undergoing restoration.
    The Diamond Bridge undergoing restoration.
  • The Chapelholm or 'Diamond' bridge.
    The Chapelholm or 'Diamond' bridge.
  • The Stable's Bridge.
    The Stable's Bridge.
  • An abutment of the old Walled Garden bridge. Iron work is embedded in the structure, which was faced with high quality vermiculate ashlar stonework.
    An abutment of the old Walled Garden bridge. Iron work is embedded in the structure, which was faced with high quality vermiculate ashlar stonework.
  • A vermiculate[25] stone from the ornate Walled Garden bridge.
    A vermiculate[25] stone from the ornate Walled Garden bridge.
  • The original Laundry Bridge in the 1900s.
    The original Laundry Bridge in the 1900s.
  • The 'new' castle or Laundry footbridge.
    The 'new' castle or Laundry footbridge.
  • The view across the Laundry or Castle Bridge.
    The view across the Laundry or Castle Bridge.

Lugton Water

The substantial weir on the Lugton Water near the Suspension Bridge in 2008.
The Weir on the Lugton Water at the site of the old three arched Tournament Bridge.

The Lugton Water was diverted and altered several times, for example in the 1790s its course was altered by the 12th Earl (1740 - 1819)[31] to run behind the Garden Cottage, rather than in front of it. The width was also changed at times, for instance five ponds or lakes were created by large weirs at one stage; the one at the Tournament Bridge is clearly visible in older prints of the 1840s (see illustrations) shown.[32]

The size, shape and position of the various weirs was altered several times, latterly by Clement Wilson of the canning factory. One of the weirs lies directly beneath the restored Tournament Bridge. The one below the site of the old Bowling Green and Robert Burns's garden was 'U' shaped, holding back sufficient water at one time to form a lake with a small island bearing a single yew tree. The 1938 OS map shows no fewer than seven weirs between the castle and the present day Suspension Bridge.

The Clement Wilson gardens

The Clement Wilson Gardens in the 1970s.

In 1948 the Trustees of the late 16th Earl sold most of the remaining parts of the estate to Robert Howie and Sons of Dunlop for £24,000[33][34] and in the 1950s the Wilson family purchased the Tournament Bridge, old offices, castle ruins, and other land from Robert Howie and Sons.

Clement Wilson, the food processing factory owner, established the Clement Wilson Foundation which opened part of the grounds to the public, spending around £400,000 (around £4,317,000 in 2008 terms) on partially restoring the Tournament Bridge, consolidating the castle ruins, planting trees, landscaping, making paths, creating a rockery and waterfall feature, etc.[35]

2008 restoration

The bridge partially dismantled and half way through hydrodemolition during renovation in May 2008.
The temporary earth dam in the Lugton Water.

The restoration of the Tournament Bridge involves a faithful and historic renovation of the Tournament Bridge, based on surviving documentary evidence. Historic Scotland requires a ‘faithful restoration where all details are replicated as closely as possible in terms of material, design and construction’.

Close up of a repair to the cracked cast iron.

The existing concrete arches are to be removed as is the infill above. The arches will be replaced with the existing refurbished cast iron arch sections and new cast iron fascia sections, which will restore the original width of the structure. A secondary stainless steel pedestrian parapet is to be provided immediately behind the ballustrading. The load bearing capacity of the bridge will be carried by a modern steel structure concealed beneath the deck surface which will be timber, as this was considered to be the original material.[36]

The current timber parapets will be replaced with cast iron sections to match the original items. All of the cast iron elements are to be fabricated and fitted by the Ballantine Bo'ness Iron Company to restore the splendour of the original structure.[37]

The restoration involved hydrodemolition to expose the cast iron arches through removing the concrete in which they had been embeded. This process used very high pressure water jets and confirmed the poor structural integrity of the iron arches. They were not however intended to be load bearing in the restored bridge and an upside was the degree of Gothic artwork found to exist on the arches.[28]

The estimated total project cost is £720k. Historic Scotland have indicated that they would be able to contribute some £161k, around £5k will be provided in kind, and the shortfall of £354k was the subject of the successful grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund.[38]

2008 restoration gallery

See also

References

  1. ^ Dobie, James (1876). Pont's Cuninghame Pub. John Tweed.
  2. ^ Millar, A. H. (1885). The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire.' Reprinted by The Grimsay Press (2004). ISBN 1-84530-019x. P. 74.
  3. ^ Historic gardens
  4. ^ Aikman, James (1839). An account of the tournament at Eglinton, revised and corrected by several of the knights : with a biographical notice of the Eglinton family to which is prefixed a sketch of chivalry and of the most remarkable Scottish tournaments. Pub. Edinburgh : H. Paton, Carver and Gilder. Facing P. 4.
  5. ^ Tait's Edinburgh Magazine. November 1839.
  6. ^ Stoddart, John (1801). Remarks on Local Scenery and Manners in Scotland during the years 1799 and 1800. Pub. William Miller, London. P. 313.
  7. ^ Anstruther, Ian (1986). The Knight and the Umbrella. An Account of the Eglinton Tournament 1839. Pub. Alan Sutton. Gloucester. ISBN 0-86299-302-4. P. III.
  8. ^ Ness, J. A. (1969 - 70). Landmarks of Kilwynnyng. Privately produced. P. 29.
  9. ^ Aitken, Robert (1829). The Parish Atlas of Ayrshire - Cunninghame. Pub. W. Ballantine. Edinburgh.
  10. ^ Close, Rob (1992), Ayrshire Buildings. Royal Incorporated Architects of Scotland. ISBN 1873-190-069. P. 64.
  11. ^ Ayrshire Roots
  12. ^ a b Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr.
  13. ^ Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr.
  14. ^ North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008
  15. ^ The Eglinton Tournament. Pub. Hodgson & Graves. London. 1840. P. 6.
  16. ^ Ker, Rev William Lee (1900). Kilwinning Pub. A. W. Cross, Kilwinning. P. 326.
  17. ^ Love, Dane (2003). Ayrshire: Discovering a County. Pub. Fort. Ayr. ISBN 0-9544461-1-9. P. 54.
  18. ^ Lauchlan, Roy (1989). Questions & Answers about the Montgomerie Family and the 1839 Tournaments. Pub. Kilwinning & District Preservation Society. P. 12.
  19. ^ Leighton, John M. (1850).Strath Clutha or the Beauties of the Clyde. Pub. Joseph Swan Engraver. Glasgow. Facing P. 229.
  20. ^ The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843): a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire. Pub. H. Crawford & Son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page.
  21. ^ Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story. Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 27.
  22. ^ The Eglinton Archive.
  23. ^ North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008
  24. ^ - Ashlar
  25. ^ a b - Vermiculate stonework Cite error: The named reference "Vermiculate" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  26. ^ North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008
  27. ^ The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843):a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire. Pub. H. Crawford & son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page
  28. ^ a b c North Ayrshire Council, Roads and Transportation services. 2008
  29. ^ a b Thomson, John (1828). A Map of the Northern Part of Ayrshire.
  30. ^ Roy, William (1747 - 55) Military Map of Scotland.
  31. ^ Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story. Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 27.
  32. ^ Montgomeries of Eglinton. Ayr Division. Strathclyde Department of Education. P. 94.
  33. ^ Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story. Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 12.
  34. ^ Sharp, Cameron (2007). Eglinton Country Park Management Plan for 2007 - 2011. North Ayrshire Council. P. 5.
  35. ^ Wilson, James (2008). Eglinton Archives - Written correspondence.
  36. ^ Minutes of North Ayrshire Council Executive Committee
  37. ^ The Irvine Herald, Friday 25th April, 2008. P. 10.
  38. ^ North Ayrshire Council minutes and the Tournament Bridge restoration
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