Dunkeld Bridge
Dunkeld Bridge | |||||||||||
Location Map ( geo) | |||||||||||
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From: | Birnam | ||||||||||
To: | Dunkeld | ||||||||||
County | |||||||||||
Perthshire | |||||||||||
Highway Authority | |||||||||||
Perth and Kinross | |||||||||||
Opening Date | |||||||||||
1809 | |||||||||||
Additional Information | |||||||||||
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On road(s) | |||||||||||
A923 | |||||||||||
Dunkeld Bridge was built by Thomas Telford in 1809. At the time, it was the only bridge across the Tay between Perth and Aberfeldy, a distance of 35 miles. It was constructed as part of his new route north to Inverness, replacing the earlier Military Road. This route was much later to become the A9.
The Bridge
The bridge consists of seven stone arches and now carries the A923 across the river Tay in the former Cathedral City of Dunkeld. In the past, before the A9 was diverted in 1977, this bridge formed part of the main road north through Perthshire. It is two-way (just), and gives the impression of having quite a steep climb from either side, despite what the photo suggests!
As is common with Telford's Bridges, the central arch is the widest, diminishing in size towards the banks. However, The two end arches are very much smaller, being small flood arches on either bank. The bridge was built in two halves behind coffer dams, allowing the river to flow through the other half of the channel. The central arch was then constructed to complete the crossing. It took around 4 years to complete, and despite being one of the earlier bridges built as part of Telford's commission on Highland roads and bridges, it is considered one of his finest. It is certainly the longest he built.
Dunkeld Bridge | ||||||||||
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