Tongland Bridge

Today's the day ……………………… to talk of Thomas Telford

Readers of this journal might well think that I'm obsessed with bridges - and they would be right.

Road bridges, railway bridges, canal bridges - not to mention the actual roads, railways and canals themselves - are feats of engineering that I find absolutely fascinating.  Because of this, one of my all-time heroes is Thomas Telford (1757-1834), a veritable giant of civil engineering, architectural design and construction.  He was born on 9 August 1757, not that far from here, at Glendinning - a hill farm - near Eskdalemuir, Dumfriesshire.  His father, John Telford, a shepherd, died soon after Thomas was born and Thomas was raised in poverty by his mother.

He went on to design all sorts of wonderful things, including this bridge in 1806, over the River Dee, near Kirkcudbright.  Today, at low tide there was very little water in river and we were able to go right up to it and have a proper explore.  It looks more like a mediaeval castle with its crenulations and turreted towers - and the arches at the side, designed to reduce the stress on the bridge at times of flood, look more like something you would find in a cathedral (see extra).  

Back in Telford's day, boats were able to come from the Solway Firth right up the River Dee to this point - and further.  There are still big hooks in the stone blocks at the base of the bridge where boats could have tied up and unloaded their cargoes for the mills at Tongland. 

It's a fascinating subject with lots more to discover ……………………….