St Bernard's Bridge, India Place, Edinburgh

Heritage listing

Category B Date Added 14/12/1970 Local Authority Edinburgh Planning Authority Edinburgh Burgh Edinburgh NGR NT 24522 74360 Coordinates 324522, 674360 — Probably James Milne, 1824 with later stairs 1887. Segmental arched bridge with smaller land arch to right (S) and large Jacobean style stairs to right (S). Coursed squared sandstone rubble, with some sandstone ashlar to stair. Banded base course and ashlar pilasters to bridge piers. Alternating raised voussoirs. Corniced dentilled eaves with narrow blocking course over. Cast-iron railings forming parapet to roadway. STAIRS: double staircase set to E and W sides of S end of bridge. Banded base course to corniced sandstone ashlar parapets and piers with large sandstone pyramid finials. Small round arch flanked by curved stair at N side of W staircase. Pedimented carved panel to centre. — St Bernard's Bridge is a well detailed bridge forming the entrance to part of an outstanding example of early 19th century urban planning with a classical design scheme by prominent architect James Milne. The bridge was designed to provide easy access to the Raeburn Estate which Milne was developing, and provided a processional entrance to the estate at Dean Terrace. The provision of a bridge made access to and from the area easier as Telford's high level crossing upstream (see separate listing) had not yet been completed and the Stock Bridge, 200metres downstream, was not widened until circa 1830. The large Jacobean stairs may have been planned as part of the 1888 restoration and improvement work of the nearby St Bernard's Well (see separate listing) which was funded by the publisher William Nelson. The bridge is an integral part of Edinburgh's New Town, which is an outstanding example of classical urban planning that was influential thr

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.