Elgin Railway Bridge, Charlestown

Heritage listing

Category B Group Category Details 100000019 - see notes Date Added 17/03/1978 Supplementary Information Updated 26/06/2017 Local Authority Fife Planning Authority Fife Parish Dunfermline NGR NT 06213 83696 Coordinates 306213, 683696 — Circa 1795. Coursed, sandstone rubble; roughly droved ashlar dressings and soffits. 3 segmental arches, metal tie plates over centre and S end arches; sloping buttress at S end, W side. Sandstone rubble parapet; rough rubble coping. Cobbled road. Steep drop to W, gentler slope to E. Built to carry former Elgin Railway. — A-Group with 1-90 Charlestown Village, exluding 36-37 and 52-55 Charlestown Village; Charlestown, Camsie House; Charlestown Harbour; Charlestown Harbour Road, Limekilns; Charlestown Village, K6 Telephone Kiosk; Charlestown Village, The Queen s Hall; Charlestown, 8, 10, 14, The Sutlery, 16, 18 Rocks Road; Charlestown, 12 Rocks Road, The Old School House; Charlestown, Rocks Road, Former Estate Workshop; Charlestown, Rocks Road, Old School. Construction of the Elgin Railway began in 1774. It was built to carry coal from the various pits situated near Dunfermline, to Limekilns where it was shipped away. A number of landlords who owned pits, or on whose land the proposed route of the railway fell, were involved in the construction of the railway, including Sir John Halkett of Pitfirrane, Robert Wellwood of Garvock and Pitliver and George Chalmers of Pittencrieff. In 1790 Earl Elgin took complete ownership of the railway. Initially the railway took the form of a wagonway with wooden rails and horse power. The wooden rails were replaced by iron and in 1852 steam engines provided the power. Coal was transported from pits at Berrielaw and Knockhouse, through Crossford, the Broomhall Estate and Limekilns to Limekilns Harbour with a

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.