This week's photographic prompt from Sepia Saturday shows an electric tramway crossing a bridge over a valley and major road.
Cue for a tour across countries and centuries looking at bridges that span rivers, valleys and a loch, mainly in the Scottish Borders. So do read about the
place where poet Robert Burns first set eyes on England, the Marriage
House by the River Tweed, used by runaway couples from England; and the riots at
Kelso about the bridge tolls; and I finish by
looking at a famous bridge with links to my own family history.
What
struck me in writing this post is the length of time - i.e. 200 years -
that many of these old bridges served their community, before
replacement structures were built - progress sometimes seems very
slow!
N
A view of the three bridges, spanning two hundred years of history, crossing the River Tweed at Leaderfoot, near Melrose in the Scottish Borders - 3 miles from my home. In the middle the original narrow stone bridge built c.1776 to replace a ford crossing - this remained the main road linking Edinburgh with the north of England until the building in 1974 of the concrete bridge in the foreground which carries the traffic today. In the background is the impressive 19-arched railway viaduct opened in 1865 - the major engineering feat of the Berwickshire Railway, until its closure 100 years later in 196
The Viaduct remains a popular spot for photographers today - here a view taken from the old road bridge which is now only open to walkers and cyclists.
Another modern structure - this time the Europa Brucke, linking Germany & Austria across the Alps into Italy; a photograph taken as we flew into Innsbruck. The bridge is 2,549 feet long. According to Wikipedia, it hosts a 192 metre Bungee Jump - the 5th highest in the world.construction began in 1959 and the bridge opened to traffic in 1964.
Back to the Scottish Borders and the many crossings over its famous salmon river the Tweed, as it weaves its 90 mile journey to the sea.
Coldstream Bridge over the River Tweed marks the boundary between Scotland and
England and opened in 1767, built at a cost of £6000 - £725,000 in
current values. (www.measuringworth.com). It was paid for by a government grant, local
subscriptions and loans from Edinburgh Banks, to be paid back from the
bridge tolls.
In the meantime, however, many English couples in particular, eloped to places just across the Border, to escape the stricter English marriage laws and obtain a quick, easy and cheaper marriage.
But
Coldstream
Bridge Tollhouse at the north end of the bridge, was more than just the
location for collecting taxes. For it was akin to Gretna Green towards
the west as the location for a Scottish "Irregular
Marriage". This was in
the form of a verbal declaration by the couple
giving their consent before
witnesses and did not require a clergyman, but anyone who took on the role for
a fee. No notice, such as banns, was required, no parental consent and no residency requirement. Such marriages were valid in Scotland but
were increasingly frowned upon and became less
and less acceptable.
In the meantime, however, many English couples in particular, eloped to places just across the Border, to escape the stricter English marriage laws and obtain a quick, easy and cheaper marriage.
It was on the bridge that Scottish bard Robert Burns had his
first glimpse of England, as marked by a plaque.
Another
crossing of the River Tweed with the Rennie Bridge at Kelso. It was
built in 1800-3 to replace one washed away in
floods of 1797. Designed by John Rennie, it was an earlier and smaller
scale version of the Waterloo Bridge, which he designed for London.
The Toll House, where the payment had to be made, was the scene of a riot in 1854, when local people objected to continuing to pay the tolls when the building costs had been long cleared. It still took three years for tolls to be withdrawn. For nearly 200 years, this narrow bridge remained the only bridge across the Tweed at Kelso until the building of a new one in 1998 to the east of the town.
The Toll House, where the payment had to be made, was the scene of a riot in 1854, when local people objected to continuing to pay the tolls when the building costs had been long cleared. It still took three years for tolls to be withdrawn. For nearly 200 years, this narrow bridge remained the only bridge across the Tweed at Kelso until the building of a new one in 1998 to the east of the town.
From large to smaller structures:
Craigsford Bridge over the Leader Water at Earlston (my home village) was built around 1737. Until the building of the new toll road (the later A68) at the end of the century, it was the main route to Edinburgh. It was sometimes referred to as the Mill Brig, being close to the Simpson & Fairbairn Mill that produced textiles until its closure in 1969.
This graceful,late 18th century bridge spans the Leader Water linking the neighbouring estates of Carolside and Leadervale at Earlston.
"The Statistical Account of Scotland" of 1834 gives us a beautiful description of Carolside
"Poised on a green plateau beside the River Leader and sheltered by surrounding slopes of its own extensive woodlands, as a sweet and secure asylum from the toils and troubles of the world'."
Taken
on a hill walk, here we look down on the same bridge in the wooded glen.
To the Highlands and the Skye Road Bridge,opened in
1995, to the island that is an iconic symbol of Scotland's history. The
bridge across Loch Alsh links Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland with
Kyleakin on Skye. If you fancy a more romantic journey to the Isle, you can still travel, as in the song, "over the sea to Skye" on the Mallaig ferry to the south of the island.
And finally a link with my family history.
My brother is standing in front of the cast iron arched Ironbridge over the River Severn in Shropshire - England's longest river.It was the first iron bridge to be built In 1781 and gave the valley the description of "the birthplace of the Industrial Revolution".It is now a World Heritage Site.
Our father spent his childhood in Broseley on the other side of the river to Ironbridge. Dad went to school there, sang in the
choir from the age of seven and began his working life at a grocer's
shop, delivering goods by pony and cart. Dad's father had a 35 minutes
walk across the bridge
each way every day to get to his work at the Coalbrookdale Power House
in the Severn valley.
*************
Sepia Saturday gives bloggers an opportunity to share
their family history and memories through photographs
Click HERE
Beautiful photos. I have a similar photograph to your cast iron arched Ironbridge over the River Severn in Shropshire. Mine is of the Navajo Bridge in Utah. I forgot that I had it until I saw your pictures.
ReplyDeleteMost enjoyable tour of the bridges on the Borders. They are all beautiful in their own way.
ReplyDeleteThat railroad Viaduct bridge is most impressive...but I can't imagine bungee jumping from the Europa Brucke. Yikes! Love the story of couples crossing the Tweed for an "Irregular Marriage" -- and also the way you have tied some of these bridges into your family history. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI love the variety of bridges.
ReplyDeleteA wonderful post of old bridges. There was so much artistry to the old bridges. Some of today's bridges might be seen as 'modern art', but most are just utilitarian compared with their older counterparts.
ReplyDeleteThose arched stone bridges are really special. I often nag my husband to stop so I can take photos.
ReplyDeleteLooking at these old bridges makes me even sadder that my trip to England and Scotland had to be postponed due to the pandemic. I am fascinated by how old and sturdy old structures in Europe are. And when I cruised along the Danube and the Rhine, the very sleek and beautiful new bridges make me think about the sorry state of some of our bridges at home. Sometimes I wonder if I'll be on one when it decides to crumble.
ReplyDelete