Upper North Water Bridge

Heritage listing

Category A Date Added 18/06/1972 Last Date Amended 31/08/2016 Local Authority Aberdeenshire Planning Authority Aberdeenshire Parish Marykirk NGR NO 65266 66139 Coordinates 365266, 766139 — A 3-span, ribbed segmental arched bridge over the North Esk, which dates from the 16th century bridge, repaired 1669 and repaired and widened in 1841-42 by John Gibb, Engineer. It is constructed from squared and coursed rubble with ashlar dressings. There are 5 square ribs of dressed stone to the intrados. It has triangular cutwaters and the parapet has railings. — Upper North Water Bridge is a fine and rare example of a 16th century bridge and is very rare example of a bridge with ribbed arches. With 3 wide segmental arches, the bridge is significant in size and is a prominent feature in the rural landscape. The scale of the bridge and its stonework detailing demonstrates its historical importance as a principal thoroughfare. Age and Rarity Upper North Water Bridge was built in the 16th century, sometime between 1520 and 1590. The Old Statistical Account (1791-99) attributes its construction to John Erskine of Dun (1508-1591). Erskine was a friend of John Knox, the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Scotland, and Erskine himself was a religious reformer who was appointed superintendent of the reformed church of Scotland for Angus and Mearns in 1560. Paxton et al. dates the bridge to the 1520s (2007, p.62) because of its similarity in design and construction with the Bridge of Dee at Aberdeen, which is dated 1520 and 1523 (LB20068). Both bridges have ribbed arches, which is a rare construction detail. Paxton asserts that both bridges were built under the aegis of Bishop Gavin Dunbar by Thomas Franche, master mason, to the design of Alexander Galloway Minister of Kinkeld, although

From Historic Environment Scotland under OGL v3.