Bridging the South Esk at Montrose - Angus, Scotland.
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member creg-ny-baa
N 56° 42.399 W 002° 28.457
30V E 532186 N 6284855
Information marker at the northern end of the road bridge at Montrose, giving details on the history of the four bridges that have spanned the River South Esk at this site.
Waymark Code: WMWJ0B
Location: Northern Scotland, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/09/2017
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Dragontree
Views: 0

This marker is situated on the north bank of the South Esk in the town of Montrose on the east coast of Scotland. It gives a history of the adjacent road bridge and the three previous ones that have spanned the river over the last 200 years.

The text reads as follows:

'A Historic Setting

You are standing on the site of the Stromnay ("tide race river" in Old Norse), the original harbour settlement at the mouth of the river South Esk, whose rapid tidal current fills and empties Montrose Basin twice every day.

Until the late 18th century the only means of crossing the river at Montrose, on the coastal route from Aberdeen, was by an ancient ferry to Ferryden, on the south side of the river. The lowest bridging point was then the medieval bridge at Brechin, seven miles inland. At the time the river was navigable as far as Old Montrose.

In 1776 a fine stone bridge ws constructed over the North Esk at Kinnaber, three miles north of Montrose. This was followed in 1783 by a bridge over the South Esk at Dun, on the west side of Montrose Basin. Fears of trading losses for the Royal Burgh prompted the magistrates to petition for a bridge at Montrose. In 1792 an Act was raised for a toll bridge incorporating a drawbridge at the southern end. This "Timmer Brig" built of timber with stone abutments at either end was constructed across the river at this point to Inchbrayock, or Rossie Island, and was opened in 1795.

1 The Timmer Brig

The first bridge brought about changes in the town's layout. To the north, Bridge Street, a fine broad street was driven across the backland riggs of the houses on Seagait and Castle Street, while to the south a fine wide road crossed Inchbrayock to the Inch Bridge over the narrow backwater channel. This was filled in when the island was joined to the southern shore in the 1970s as part of the harbour developments.

The "Timmer Brig" only lasted 35 years, due to wood-boring marine organisms weakening the structure to such an extent that a replacement was urgently required.

2 The Suspension Bridge

The second bridge on the site was the Suspension Bridge, built in 1829, to the designs of Capt Samuel Brown RN, who had previously designed the famous Brighton Chain Pier using his bar chain process. William Smith of Montrose, the contractor for Montrose Steeple and architect of St. John's Church built the piers. In March 1830 one of the chains snapped when a crowd watching a boat race rushed from one side of the bridge to the other. Three people lost their lives. A further calamity occurred during a storm in 1838, when part of the road fell away. The picturesque bridge then became a much photographed and drawn Montrose landmark, until modern traffic requirements and weight restrictions occasioned a replacement in 1930.

3 The New Bridge of 1930

The stone abutments at either end of the suspension bridge were incorporated into the 1930 bridge. This was a precast concrete structure of a bold, iconic, cantilever design, which resembled a suspension bridge in appearance. The designer was Sir Owen Williams, a renowned engineer and architect, and a pioneer in the development of concrete architecture. The unusual contrast between material and structure attracted worldwide interest in engineering circles. Over time the structure succumbed to "concrete cancer" and was replaced in 2006.

4 Montrose Bridge Today

The present bridge is a three-span concrete and steel bridge with a distinctive cope and pronounced curvature to meet modern surface drainage and load requirements. Design consultants were Carl Bro of Denmark, and the main contractor was Balfour Beatty Construction.

The demolition of the old bridge and the construction of its replacement was a major event for the town. Steelwork fabricated in Belfast was brought to site by crane barge, and lifted directly onto bearings, thereby avoiding road disruption. The new bridge is designed to be robust, yet sensitive to its setting in such an important natural and historic environment.'

Also on the board are the 1810 painting, 'View of Montrose' by Henrietta Ouchterlony, which depicts the first bridge. A John Woods plan of Montrose from 1823 which shows the area at the time. A photograph of the Suspension Bridge taken from near the site of the marker. A photograph of the New Bridge of 1930. A photograph of the 1930 bridge being removed by the crane barge 'Rambiz' in 2006, and a photograph of the current bridge.

Type of Historic Marker: Information board

Historical Marker Issuing Authority: Montrose Heritage Trust

Give your Rating:

Age/Event Date: Not listed

Related Website: Not listed

Visit Instructions:
Please submit your visiting log with a picture of the object and include some interesting information about your visit.
Search for...
Geocaching.com Google Map
Google Maps
MapQuest
Bing Maps
Nearest Waymarks
Nearest UK Historical Markers
Nearest Geocaches
Create a scavenger hunt using this waymark as the center point
Recent Visits/Logs:
There are no logs for this waymark yet.