Perth Bridge (also known as Smeaton's Bridge, locally, the Old Bridge, and in the local dialect of Scots, the Auld Brig) is a toll-free

bridge A bridge is a structure built to span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or rail) without blocking the way underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, which is usually somethi ...

in the city of Perth, Scotland. A

Category A listed This is a list of Category A listed buildings in Scotland, which are among the listed buildings of the United Kingdom. For a fuller list, see the pages linked on List of listed buildings in Scotland. Key The organization of the lists in th ...

structure, it spans the River Tay, connecting Perth, on the western side of the river, to

Bridgend Bridgend (; cy, Pen-y-bont ar Ogwr or just , meaning "the end of the bridge on the Ogmore") is a town in Bridgend County Borough in Wales, west of Cardiff and east of Swansea. The town is named after the medieval bridge over the River Og ...

, on its eastern side, carrying both automotive and pedestrian traffic of West Bridge Street (the A85). An earlier bridge was demolished at the same location in 1621 (its location marked by a stone tablet at the bottom of the High Street),Civic History of Perth from Medieval Times
– Perth Civic Trust and many unsuccessful attempts were made to replace it. A subscription was started by

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

and several noblemen to help with the construction cost, but the king's death in 1625 suspended the scheme and a series of

ferryboats A ferry is a ship, watercraft or amphibious vehicle used to carry passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo, across a body of water. A passenger ferry with many stops, such as in Venice, Italy, is sometimes called a water bus or water taxi ...

were instead used.''The Tourist's Hand-book to Perth and Neighbourhood'' (1849), p. 43 The replacement bridge was completed in October 1771, which places it in the Georgian era (George Street, which leads up to the bridge from the city, was built at the same time);''Official Guide to Perth and Its Neighbourhood by the Tramway Car Routes'' – Perth Town Council (1907), p. 6 however, its plaque states the year in which construction began, 1766, as its "built" date. The engineer of its construction was

John Smeaton John Smeaton (8 June 1724 – 28 October 1792) was a British civil engineer responsible for the design of bridges, canals, harbours and lighthouses. He was also a capable mechanical engineer and an eminent physicist. Smeaton was the fi ...

, after whom the bridge is colloquially named. Funded by

Thomas Hay, 9th Earl of Kinnoull Thomas Hay, 9th Earl of Kinnoull (4 July 1710 – 27 December 1787), styled Viscount Dupplin from 1719 to 1758, was a Scottish peer, British politician, and scholar. Family and education Hay was the eldest son of George Hay, 8th Earl of Kin ...

, the government, and public subscription, the bridge was put to the test three years after its completion. In February 1774, during a quick thaw, broken ice became wedged under the arches and created a natural

dam A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...

. Large sections of Perth, including both of its

Inches Measuring tape with inches The inch (symbol: in or ″) is a unit of length in the British imperial and the United States customary systems of measurement. It is equal to yard or of a foot. Derived from the Roman uncia ("twelfth") ...

, were flooded. The bridge, however, stood firm."Bridges of Perth" at PerthCity.co.uk
It has survived many subsequent floods, and marks documenting these levels are visible on one of its

pier Seaside pleasure pier in Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th century.">England.html" ;"title="Brighton, England">Brighton, England. The first seaside piers were built in England in the early 19th ...

s.HistoryCooperative.org - Neil MacDonald
An increase in traffic resulted in the bridge being widened in 1869 by A.D. Stewart. Its stone

parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). ...

s were removed, and footpaths projected over iron brackets.

Gallery

File:The imperial gazetteer of Scotland; or, Dictionary of Scottish topography, compiled from the most recent authorities, and forming a complete body of Scottish geography, physical, statistical, and (14595861428).jpg, The bridge as it was before being widened in 1869 Image:Plaque on Smeatons bridge.jpg, A plaque on the bridge Image:St. Matthew's Church and Smeaton's Bridge.jpg, Smeaton's Bridge, with St Matthew's Church, on

Tay Street Tay Street is a major thoroughfare, part of the A989 road, A989, in the Scottish city of Perth, Perth and Kinross, Perth, Perth and Kinross. Planned in 1806 and completed around 1885, it is named for the River Tay, Scotland's longest river, on ...

, on the left, looking north from Queen's Bridge Image:Perth Bridge from Bridgend.jpg, A view from Bridgend's East Bridge Street to West Bridge Street, which traverses the bridge

References

External links

Bridges of Perth at PerthCity.co.uk
{{River Tay Bridges in Perth, Scotland Category A listed buildings in Perth and Kinross Bridges across the River Tay Listed buildings in Perth, Scotland Listed bridges in Scotland Stone bridges in Scotland Bridges completed in 1771 1771 establishments in Scotland

Gallery

See also

References

External links