Tongland Bridge
Coordinates: 54 ° 51 ′ 28 " N , 4 ° 2 ′ 21" W
| Tongland Bridge | ||
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| use | Road bridge | |
| Convicted | A711 | |
| Subjugated | Dee | |
| place | Tongland | |
| construction | Stone arch bridge | |
| Number of openings | 7th | |
| building-costs | 7710 pounds | |
| start of building | 1804 | |
| completion | 1808 | |
| location | ||
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The Tongland Bridge is a road bridge in the village of Tongland in the Scottish Council Area Dumfries and Galloway . In 1971 the building was included in the Scottish List of Monuments in the highest category A. A former classification as a Scheduled Monument was lifted in 1996. The bridge is not to be confused with the Old Tongland Bridge, a few hundred meters upstream .
history
Concrete plans for the construction of the bridge were started in 1803. The aim was to connect the port of Kirkcudbright to the cities of Dumfries and Portpatrick and the county of Ayrshire . The engineer Thomas Telford is responsible for the design in collaboration with the artist Alexander Nasmyth . Several regional stonemasons signed up to implement the design at a cost of less than £ 3,000. After the laying of the foundation stone in March 1804, a falsework was erected for the wide central arch. This was destroyed in a summer flood in August 1804. Telford, who was called in to assess the damage, judged it to be impossible to build the bridge for the agreed amount.
The stonemasons were relieved of their job and Adam Blane was appointed as the chief engineer on site. On August 29, 1805, the central arch was completed. After the bridge was completely accessible from November 1806, it was finally completed and opened on May 21, 1808. The total cost was £ 7,710. In the middle of the 20th century the Tongland Bridge was reinforced.
description
The masonry viaduct is located on the southern edge of Tongland a short distance below the Tongland hydroelectric power station . He leads the A711 over the Dee . The Tongland Bridge spans the Dee in seven arches. The central segment arch with a clear width of 34.1 m and a clear height of 9.8 m is remarkable . It is Telford's first arch of this size. The central arch is flanked by three slender pointed arches . The neo-Gothic design is continued through the semicircular protruding bulges with pointed arch openings. Mainly gray sandstone from the island of Arran was used along the facades . In contrast, red sandstone from Annan was used in the inner arch . The cantilevered parapet is designed with battlement reinforcement.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
- ↑ a b c Entry on Tongland Bridge in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)
Web links
- Entry on Tongland Bridge in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database