Alternative Names Craigellachie Bridge; Craigellachie Pot; River Spey; Old Bridge
Site type ROAD BRIDGE
Canmore ID 16336
Site Number NJ24NE 15
NGR NJ 28532 45194
Council MORAY
Parish KNOCKANDO
Former Region GRAMPIAN
Former District MORAY
Former County MORAYSHIRE

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Treasured Places - HLF funded

Built between 1812-15, the Craigellachie Bridge spans the River Spey and was designed by engineer Thomas Telford. It is the oldest surviving cast-iron bridge in Scotland and is considered one of the finest of its type in Britain. Castellated stone abutments support four ribs that form the single arch of the bridge, above which the roadway is carried by latticed girders.

Information from RCAHMS (SC) 6 August 2007

An image of this site has been nominated as one of Scotland's favourite archive images. For more information about the project visit http://www.treasuredplaces.org.uk

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Archaeological Notes

NJ24NE 15 28531 45199

Telford Bridge [NAT]
OS 1:10,000 map, 1976.

Telford Bridge [NAT]
OS (GIS) AIB, April 2006.

For successor bridge (adjacent to E), see NJ24NE 26.

NMRS REFERENCE:
Architect: Thomas Telford, 1815.
(Undated) information in NMRS.

(Location cited as NJ 285 452). Craigellachie Bridge. This bridge was built in 1812-15 by engineer Thomas Telford and is one of the finest cast-iron bridges in Britain. A single 150ft (45.7m) arched span, with 4 ribs, is supported by rustic ashlar abutments, with castellated terminals and rubble wing walls. One of the terminals (on the Banff side) has 2 cast-iron plaques with the legends 'CAST AT PLAS KYNASTON RUABON DENBEIGHSHIRE' and '1814'.
J R Hume 1977.

This bridge is the oldest surviving iron bridge in Scotland. It cost 8,200 pounds sterling, which was 200 pounds sterling more than the estimate, and the money was found by the Parliamentary Commissioners and by local subscribers. It was restored in 1964 by Banff, Moray and Nairn County Councils, and by-passed in 1972.
The ironwork was cast at Plas Kynaston by William 'Merlin' Hazledine, Telford's normal ironmaster. It was erected by William Stuttle, Telford's foreman, and the stonework was by John Simpson, mason, of Shrewsbury.
The bridge is situated to take advantage the constriction formed by an outcrop of hard Moinian gneiss. Telford allowed for floods by placing the bridge on abutments 12'(3.7m) above normal water level; it withstood the flood of 1829, when the Spey here rose 15' 6" (4.7m), although the flood arches were washed away.
The four ribs are mounted 15' (4.6m) apart and they make an arc of smaller radius than the roadway, which partly accounts for the lightness of the bridge. The spandrels are formed of diamond lattice which also contributes to the delicacy of the design. The castellated rustic ashlar towers that decorate the abutments are 50' (15.2m) high and hollow with false arrow slits; they are perhaps rather heavy.
G Nelson 1990

This bridge formerly carried the A941 public road over the River Spey between the parishes of Knockando (to the N) and Aberlour (to the S), within the pre-1975 counties of Morayshire and Banffshire respectively. Both these parishes fall within the post-1975 Moray District of Grampian Region.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 7 December 1995.

The location assigned to this record defines the apparent midpoint of the span. The available map evidence suggests that it extends from NJ c. 28523 45224 to NJ c. 28542 45164.
Information from RCAHMS (RJCM), 7 April 2006.

Notes and Activities

1 January 1812 to 31 December 1815

CONSTRUCTION

Further details

1962	PHOTOGRAPHIC RECORD

Notes Photographs taken prior to conservation work being carried out.

Further details

1 January 1962 to 31 December 1964

CONSERVATION

Further details

1 August 1963 to 31 August 1963

PHOTOGRAPHIC SURVEY

Further details

1981	MEASURED SURVEY

Project 1981 RCAHMS Industrial Survey

Further details

20 September 1997

FIELD VISIT

Project JR Hume Industrial Archaeology Survey

Further details

Books and References

Architect Prospect (1960) 'Craigellachie: the iron bridge' [photograph], Architect Prospect Spring 1960
Page(s): 26

Bracegirdle and Miles, B and P H (1973) Thomas Telford, Great engineers and their works series Newton Abbot
Page(s): 49 Held at RCAHMS H.2.TEL

Butt, J (1967) The industrial archaeology of Scotland, The industrial archaeology of the British Isles series Newton Abbot
Page(s): 232 Held at RCAHMS J.4.11.BUT

Butt, J (1967) The industrial archaeology of Scotland, The industrial archaeology of the British Isles series Newton Abbot
Page(s): 232 Held at RCAHMS J.4.11.BUT.R

Close-Brooks, J (1995a) The Highlands, Exploring Scotland's Heritage series, ed. by Anna Ritchie Edinburgh
Page(s): 66 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Gibb, Sir A (1935) The story of Telford: the rise of civil engineering, London
Page(s): 156, 256, 263 Held at RCAHMS H.2.TEL

Hay and Stell, G D and G P (1986) Monuments of industry, Edinburgh
Page(s): 184-6, 204-6 Held at RCAHMS A.1.5.HAY

Hume, J R (1977a) The industrial archaeology of Scotland, 2, the Highlands and Islands London
Page(s): 168 pl. 39 Held at RCAHMS J.4.11.HUM

Lauder, Sir T D (1873) An account of the great floods of August 1829 in the Province of Moray and adjoining districts, Elgin
Page(s): 215 Held at RCAHMS D.5.4.LAU

McKean, C (1987a) The district of Moray: an illustrated architectural guide, Edinburgh
Page(s): 157 pl. p. 157 Held at RCAHMS D.5.MOR

Minchinton, W (1984) A guide to industrial archaeology sites in Britain, London
Page(s): 167 Held at RCAHMS J.4.1.MIN

NSA (1834-1845) The new statistical account of Scotland by the ministers of the respective parishes under the superintendence of a committee of the society for the benefit of the sons and daughters of the clergy, 15v Edinburgh
Page(s): Vol 13, p 121 Held at RCAHMS B.2.2.STA

Nelson, G (1990) Highland bridges, Aberdeen
Page(s): 87-9 pls. 57-8 Held at RCAHMS J.6.3.NEL

Paxton, R (2007) 'Thomas Telford 250th Birthday Celebrations in Scotland', Phew Newsletter, 115
Page(s): 2

Rolt, L T C (1958) Thomas Telford, London
Page(s): 71, 72, 73, 126, 149 Held at RCAHMS H.2.TEL

Shepherd, I A G (1986a) Exploring Scotland's heritage: Grampian, Exploring Scotland's heritage series Edinburgh
Page(s): 64-5, no. 13 Held at RCAHMS A.1.4.HER

Smiles, S (1861) Lives of the engineers with an account of their principal works: comprising also a history of inland communication in Britain, 3v {v.3 located in biography under Stephenson} London
Page(s): vol. ii, 385-8 Held at RCAHMS H.1.SMI

Telford, T (1838b) Atlas to the Life of Thomas Telford, civil engineer, London
Page(s): pls. 47, 51 Held at RCAHMS D.6.LX

Telford, T (1838a) Life of Thomas Telford, civil engineer, London
Page(s): 400 Held at RCAHMS D.3

Watson and Watson, J and W (1868) Morayshire described: being a guide to visitors, containing notices of ecclesiastical and military antiquities, topographical descriptions of the principal country residences, towns and villages and genealogical notes of the leading families in the county, 'With map and illustrations' Elgin, printed by Jeans and Grant.
Page(s): opp p 328 Held at RCAHMS D.5.41.WAT.R

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