Bonar Bridge
Encyclopedia
Bonar Bridge is a village on the north bank of the Kyle of Sutherland
, in the Parish of Creich
in the Highland council area
of Scotland
.
The Kyle of Sutherland ("the Kyle" for locals) is a river estuary
of the Rivers Oykel
, Cassley
, Shin
and Carron
that all enter the Kyle above the bridge at Bonar.
The estuary (downstream) and the rivers (upstream) separate Sutherland from Ross and Cromarty
to the south, and the estuary opens into the Dornoch Firth
to the east.
s.
One excavation was performed in 2004 by the Time Team
UK Television program. It excavated a small henge
and a crannog
(artificial-island home) in Loch Migdale
.
was discovered by workmen blasting a granite knoll behind Bonar Bridge, near what is known as "Tulloch Hill".
Dating from about 2000BC, the artifacts are in the custody of the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh
. The Migdale Hoard
includes a bronze axe head, sets of bronze bangles and anklets, and a series of beautifully carved jet and cannel coal buttons that may well have adorned a Bronze Age jacket, bronze hair ornaments and fragments of an elaborate bronze headdress.
(in field near graveyard), Kincardine
Church and Edderton
(one at Church, one in field).
was named so (Sudrland) by the Norse
of Orkney as it formed the Southern part of the Norse province of "Cat". Modern Caithness
was the "Ness" part, with the third part "Strathnavern" (modern StrathNaver) being the third part (now mostly in modern Sutherland).
The Dornoch Firth was the boundary between "Cat" and Ross
and was called "Ekkjal" (Oykell) by the Norse and it is mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga
.
"In the 11th or 12th century a contest of the inhabitants with the Danes is recorded to have occurred at Drin-leah (Drum Leadh), near Bonar Bridge, whence the invaders were driven back with great loss to their ships at Portnacoulter, [Meikle Ferry]. The extraordinary number of tumuli [Cairns] or graves on the scene of [the] action, while they attenst the truth of the tradition, and the greatness of the slaughter, cannot fail to excite the wonder of reflecting persons at the great numbers who must have been engaged and the consequent density of the population at that remote time".
One such map is this manuscript Sutherland, Strath Okel & Strath Charron of Robert Gordon's from 1654 or this beautiful map from the Bleu Atlas of 1654, both found in the National Library of Scotland.
On the South side of the Kyle, MidFearn (Ferne 1573) is the oldest location shown, with Kincardine (with its church) appearing next.
took place in 1650 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms close to the village of Culrain, which lies to the West of Bonar Bridge. The battles were fought between the forces of the Scottish Covenantor Government and royalist forces loyal to the King, led by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
. The royalists were defeated.
and his forces returning South were attacked by Clan Sutherland
near Bonar Bridge, in what became known as the Battle of Bonar Bridge
. Most of the Jacobite officers were captured, many of the men were killed and the rest were driven onto the shore where several were drowned trying to swim the Kyle of Sutherland
. Thus Clan MacKenzie
were prevented from joining the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden
.
(See another photo in Tain Museum Archive)
with the A949
. The A836 leads north towards Lairg
and Tongue
and east over the Kyle to run along the south bank of the Dornoch Firth to the A9 near Tain
. The A949 runs east along the north bank of the Firth to the A9 near Dornoch
, at the other extreme of the Dornoch Firth bridge that takes the A9 over the Dornoch Firth from Tain here.
The village is 1 mile (1.6 km) from Ardgay railway station
which lies south of the Kyle. Ardgay is on the Far North Line
, the railway line linking Inverness
with Wick
and Thurso
. For a long time, Ardgay Station was called Bonar Bridge Station. The Wikipedia entry for Ardgay railway station
has links to times of train services.
You would either have to fly into Inverness Airport (Dalcross) and take one of the above methods, or light airplanes can land at Dornoch aerodrome.
in 1746, the "taming of the north" begun, and a network of highland roads was constructed by the government, with many planned and executed by General Wade.
Construction of the first bridge (photo) across the Kyle of Sutherland at Bonar Bridge started in September 1811 and completed in November 1812. The engineer was Thomas Telford
and the builders were Simpson & Cargill. The New Statistical Account for Scotland explains that consideration was given to sites at Meikle Ferry (referred to as Portnacoulter, Port a' Choltair in Gaelic, named for its shape like a "coulter" the blade of a plough) which was considered too wide, at Creich (also considered too wide) and at Portinleck (between Culrain and Invershin
) which was further up the estuary and required a longer journey around and also a second bridge across the River Carron
.
A plaque on the Ross-Shire side of the bridge was engraved with the following text:
"Traveller, Stop and Read with gratitude the Names of the Parliamentary Commissioners appointed in the Year 1803 to direct the Making of above Five Hundred Miles of Roads through the Highlands of Scotland and of numerouse Bridges, particularly those at Beauly, Scuddel, Bonar, Fleet, and Helmsdale, connecting those Roads!"
This cast iron
arch bridge
carried the Great North Road, and was the prototype for several other Telford bridges, including Craigellachie Bridge
, Mythe Bridge
and Holt Fleet Bridge
. The bridges all employed diamond-shaped bracing in the arch spandrel
s. Spanning 45.7 m (150 ft), Bonar Bridge cost £9,736 to build, and lasted for 80 years. Historian Roland Paxton stated that it "combined elegance with economy and strength to an unparalleled degree".
See an image of the first bridge (with a scooner anchored below it) here from Tain Museum Archive.
The bridge was swept away by a flood on 29 January 1892, a winter of many great floods in the North of Scotland. Apparently this event occurred as predicted by the Brahan Seer
.
, traffic and commerce through Bonar Bridge has decreased.
word for ford is “Àth” .
The Kyle of Sutherland
had a ford here and it became called “Am Ban Àth”, “Ban” meaning 'fair', which would be "Fairford" in English.
Over time “Ban Àth” became recorded as:
Thus the evolution of the name reflects the evolution of the water crossing at this point:
FairFord -> FairFord Ferry -> FairFord Bridge
Locals refer to the village as “Bonar”, usually dropping “Bridge”.
and Farming
Forestry
Sporting Salmon (Rod) Fishing on nearby estates and rivers
Deer Stalking
Salmon Netting (now ceased)
Nearby places of interest for tourists visiting the area include:
the Theologian.
Joe Strummer
's mother came from Bonar Bridge.
Kyle of Sutherland
Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary that separates Sutherland from Ross-shire. It flows into the Dornoch Firth and is fed by the rivers Oykel, Shin, River Cassley and Carron.The downstream extent of the Kyle of Sutherland is the bridge at Bonar Bridge...
, in the Parish of Creich
Creich
Creich is located near Bonar Bridge, in Sutherland, in Scotland.There is a church and graveyard for the Parish of Creich. Creich Mains farm is located here....
in the Highland council area
Highland (council area)
Highland is a council area in the Scottish Highlands and is the largest local government area in both Scotland and the United Kingdom as a whole. It shares borders with the council areas of Moray, Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross, and Argyll and Bute. Their councils, and those of Angus and...
of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
The Kyle of Sutherland ("the Kyle" for locals) is a river estuary
Estuary
An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea....
of the Rivers Oykel
River Oykel
The River Oykel is a major river in northern Scotland that is famous for its salmon fishing. It rises on Ben More Assynt, a few miles from Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland, and drains into the North Sea via the Kyle of Sutherland...
, Cassley
River Cassley
The River Cassley in Sutherland, in northern Scotland, drains into the Kyle of Sutherland at Invercassley , a short distance below where the River Oykel flows into the Kyle. The Kyle is subsequently joined by the River Shin about Inveran, before it becomes the Dornoch Firth at Bonar Bridge, into...
, Shin
River Shin
The River Shin is a river in the Scottish North West Highlands.The river flows from Loch Shin into the Dornoch Firth and then into the North Sea. The river is just long....
and Carron
River Carron, Sutherland
The River Carron is a river in Sutherland, in the Highlands of Scotland.It begins as the Abhainn a' Ghlinne Mhoir, which joins with the Alladale River to form the River Carron...
that all enter the Kyle above the bridge at Bonar.
The estuary (downstream) and the rivers (upstream) separate Sutherland from Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty
Ross and Cromarty is a variously defined area in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. There is a registration county and a lieutenancy area in current use...
to the south, and the estuary opens into the Dornoch Firth
Dornoch Firth
The Dornoch Firth is a firth on the east coast of Highland, in northern Scotland. It forms part of the boundary between Ross and Cromarty, to the south, and Sutherland, to the north....
to the east.
Pre-History
Evidence of pre-historic inhabitance abounds in the area with many ancient hut circles and cairnCairn
Cairn is a term used mainly in the English-speaking world for a man-made pile of stones. It comes from the or . Cairns are found all over the world in uplands, on moorland, on mountaintops, near waterways and on sea cliffs, and also in barren desert and tundra areas...
s.
One excavation was performed in 2004 by the Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
UK Television program. It excavated a small henge
Henge
There are three related types of Neolithic earthwork which are all sometimes loosely called henges. The essential characteristic of all three types is that they feature a ring bank and ditch but with the ditch inside the bank rather than outside...
and a crannog
Crannog
A crannog is typically a partially or entirely artificial island, usually built in lakes, rivers and estuarine waters of Scotland and Ireland. Crannogs were used as dwellings over five millennia from the European Neolithic Period, to as late as the 17th/early 18th century although in Scotland,...
(artificial-island home) in Loch Migdale
Loch Migdale
Loch Migdale in a freshwater loch near Bonar Bridge, in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland, United Kingdom.The loch contains a Crannog dating from Iron Age....
.
Migdale Hoard
In May 1900, a priceless collection of early Bronze Age jewellery known as the Migdale HoardMigdale Hoard
The Migdale Hoard is a priceless collection of early Bronze Age jewellery discovered by workmen blasting a granite knoll behind Bonar Bridge, Scotland, near what is known as "Tulloch Hill" in May 1900....
was discovered by workmen blasting a granite knoll behind Bonar Bridge, near what is known as "Tulloch Hill".
Dating from about 2000BC, the artifacts are in the custody of the National Museums Scotland in Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The Migdale Hoard
Migdale Hoard
The Migdale Hoard is a priceless collection of early Bronze Age jewellery discovered by workmen blasting a granite knoll behind Bonar Bridge, Scotland, near what is known as "Tulloch Hill" in May 1900....
includes a bronze axe head, sets of bronze bangles and anklets, and a series of beautifully carved jet and cannel coal buttons that may well have adorned a Bronze Age jacket, bronze hair ornaments and fragments of an elaborate bronze headdress.
Pictish Symbol Stones
There are a number of Pictish Symbol stones in the surrounding area, the closest being at CreichCreich
Creich is located near Bonar Bridge, in Sutherland, in Scotland.There is a church and graveyard for the Parish of Creich. Creich Mains farm is located here....
(in field near graveyard), Kincardine
Kincardine
Kincardine or Kincardine-on-Forth is a small town located on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, in Fife, Scotland. The town was given the status of a Burgh of barony in 1663. It was at one time a reasonably prosperous minor port...
Church and Edderton
Edderton
Edderton is a village near Tain, lying on the shores of the Dornoch Firth, Easter Ross. It has approximately 388 inhabitants. It is the location of the Balblair Distillery, and of the Class III Pictish stone, the Edderton Cross Slab, which lies in the old churchyard of the village...
(one at Church, one in field).
Norse/Viking times
SutherlandSutherland
Sutherland is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic administrative county of Scotland. It is now within the Highland local government area. In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas: Dùthaich 'IcAoidh , Asainte , and Cataibh...
was named so (Sudrland) by the Norse
Norsemen
Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who spoke what is now called the Old Norse language belonging to the North Germanic branch of Indo-European languages, especially Norwegian, Icelandic, Faroese, Swedish and Danish in their earlier forms.The meaning of Norseman was "people...
of Orkney as it formed the Southern part of the Norse province of "Cat". Modern Caithness
Caithness
Caithness is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom . Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is...
was the "Ness" part, with the third part "Strathnavern" (modern StrathNaver) being the third part (now mostly in modern Sutherland).
The Dornoch Firth was the boundary between "Cat" and Ross
Ross
Ross is a region of Scotland and a former mormaerdom, earldom, sheriffdom and county. The name Ross allegedly derives from a Gaelic word meaning a headland - perhaps a reference to the Black Isle. The Norse word for Orkney - Hrossay meaning horse island - is another possible origin. The area...
and was called "Ekkjal" (Oykell) by the Norse and it is mentioned in the Orkneyinga saga
Orkneyinga saga
The Orkneyinga saga is a historical narrative of the history of the Orkney Islands, from their capture by the Norwegian king in the ninth century onwards until about 1200...
.
"In the 11th or 12th century a contest of the inhabitants with the Danes is recorded to have occurred at Drin-leah (Drum Leadh), near Bonar Bridge, whence the invaders were driven back with great loss to their ships at Portnacoulter, [Meikle Ferry]. The extraordinary number of tumuli [Cairns] or graves on the scene of [the] action, while they attenst the truth of the tradition, and the greatness of the slaughter, cannot fail to excite the wonder of reflecting persons at the great numbers who must have been engaged and the consequent density of the population at that remote time".
Appearance on Maps
The oldest records of local place names (on North side of the Kyle) found on maps are (in order from oldest) Sordel (Swordale, from Norse name) which is now a part of Bonar Bridge and has Swordale Farm, Little Swordale (Sordel Beg) (a mixed Norse Gaelic name with "Beag" meaning small in Gaelic) which is now abandoned, Creich (sometimes with Little Creich called out), Migdale then later Tulloch . A name "Eam" occurs several times towards Invershin, past Drumliach.One such map is this manuscript Sutherland, Strath Okel & Strath Charron of Robert Gordon's from 1654 or this beautiful map from the Bleu Atlas of 1654, both found in the National Library of Scotland.
On the South side of the Kyle, MidFearn (Ferne 1573) is the oldest location shown, with Kincardine (with its church) appearing next.
17th century
The Battles of Invercarron and CarbisdaleBattle of Carbisdale
The Battle of Carbisdale took place close to the Village of Culrain on 27 April 1650 and was part of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
took place in 1650 during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms close to the village of Culrain, which lies to the West of Bonar Bridge. The battles were fought between the forces of the Scottish Covenantor Government and royalist forces loyal to the King, led by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
. The royalists were defeated.
18th century
In 1746 the Earl of CromartieEarl of Cromartie
Earl of Cromartie is a title that has been created twice, both times for members of the Mackenzie family. This branch of the family descends from Sir Roderick Mackenzie, whose elder brother Kenneth Mackenzie was created Lord Mackenzie of Kintail in 1609 and was the father of Colin Mackenzie, 1st...
and his forces returning South were attacked by Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland
Clan Sutherland is a Highland Scottish clan whose traditional territory is located in the region of Sutherland in northern highlands of Scotland and was one of the most powerful Scottish clans. The clan seat is at Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland...
near Bonar Bridge, in what became known as the Battle of Bonar Bridge
Battle of Bonar Bridge
The Battle of Littleferry took place during the Jacobite rising in 1746, just before the Battle of Culloden...
. Most of the Jacobite officers were captured, many of the men were killed and the rest were driven onto the shore where several were drowned trying to swim the Kyle of Sutherland
Kyle of Sutherland
Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary that separates Sutherland from Ross-shire. It flows into the Dornoch Firth and is fed by the rivers Oykel, Shin, River Cassley and Carron.The downstream extent of the Kyle of Sutherland is the bridge at Bonar Bridge...
. Thus Clan MacKenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
were prevented from joining the Jacobite army at the Battle of Culloden
Battle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
.
Nineteenth century
Until 1812 the only means of crossing the Dornoch Firth was by ferry. On the night of 16 August 1809 over 100 people boarded the ferry boat on the Dornoch side along with goods and stock for the market in Tain. The over-laden ferryboat set off and, though conditions were calm, the boat was dangerously low in the water. About halfway across the boat turned broadside to the tide and began to take in water. It sank almost immediately with the loss of some 99 lives, including the Sheriff of Dornoch, Hugh MacCulloch. Over £2,900 were raised for disaster relief, much of it coming from overseas. It resulted in the construction of Bonar Bridge in 1812.Twentieth century
In 1926 a school of Pilot Whales ran aground in the Bay between Bonar Bridge and Ardgay.(See another photo in Tain Museum Archive)
Transport
The village is at the junction of the A836 roadA836 road
The A836 road is entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, and 129 miles long.It branches from the A9 near Tain and runs generally north through Bonar Bridge and Lairg, until Tongue. Between Lairg and Tongue the road is single track for 38 miles...
with the A949
A949 road
The A949 classified road is in Sutherland, in the Highland area of Scotland. It has staggered junctions with the A9. From the A949 the A9 runs generally north to Thurso and generally south to Tain, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and Falkirk....
. The A836 leads north towards Lairg
Lairg
Lairg is a village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of about 700and is situated at the south-eastern end of Lairg is a village in [[Sutherland]], [[Highland |Highland]], [[Scotland]]...
and Tongue
Tongue, Highland
Tongue is a coastal village in northwest Highland, Scotland, in the western part of the former county of Sutherland. It lies on the east shore above the base of the Kyle of Tongue and north of the mountains Ben Hope and Ben Loyal...
and east over the Kyle to run along the south bank of the Dornoch Firth to the A9 near Tain
Tain
Tain is a royal burgh and post town in the committee area of Ross and Cromarty, in the Highland area of Scotland.-Etymology:...
. The A949 runs east along the north bank of the Firth to the A9 near Dornoch
Dornoch
Dornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
, at the other extreme of the Dornoch Firth bridge that takes the A9 over the Dornoch Firth from Tain here.
The village is 1 mile (1.6 km) from Ardgay railway station
Ardgay railway station
Ardgay railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ardgay in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, 93 km north of Inverness, near Bonar Bridge. Ardgay station has a passing loop, the next loop to the south being at and to the north, .-...
which lies south of the Kyle. Ardgay is on the Far North Line
Far North Line
The Far North Line is a rural railway line entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, extending from Inverness to Thurso and Wick.- Route :...
, the railway line linking Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
with Wick
Wick, Highland
Wick is an estuary town and a royal burgh in the north of the Highland council area of Scotland. Historically, it is one of two burghs within the county of Caithness, of which Wick was the county town. The town straddles the River Wick and extends along both sides of Wick Bay...
and Thurso
Thurso
-Facilities:Offices of the Highland Council are located in the town, as is the main campus of North Highland College, formerly Thurso College. This is one of several partner colleges which constitute the UHI Millennium Institute, and offers several certificate, diploma and degree courses from...
. For a long time, Ardgay Station was called Bonar Bridge Station. The Wikipedia entry for Ardgay railway station
Ardgay railway station
Ardgay railway station is a railway station serving the village of Ardgay in the Highland council area of Scotland. The station is on the Far North Line, 93 km north of Inverness, near Bonar Bridge. Ardgay station has a passing loop, the next loop to the south being at and to the north, .-...
has links to times of train services.
You would either have to fly into Inverness Airport (Dalcross) and take one of the above methods, or light airplanes can land at Dornoch aerodrome.
Original Ferry Points on the Kyle of Sutherland
Originally, the Kyle of Sutherland and the rivers feeding it were crossed where Bonar Bridge lies, and at other points downstream such as Creich (where the small "Stell" ferry ruin still stands) and at what was called "Portnacoulter" (Meikle Ferry) and upstream at what was called Portinleck (Culrain-Invershin) by small ferry boats (or Cobbles) and much further upstream by small bridges (e.g. Oykel bridge).Fording the Kyle of Sutherland – at Bonar
The Bonar Bridge site provided the best point to ford the water without having to travel too far west to cross a bridge. Thus it was the preferred place to cross while droving cattle from the north and north-east to market further south. The fording point lies slightly downstream from the current bridge, more or less where the "Bonar shot" salmon fishing station was, below the old ice-house below Dornoch Road.First Bridge
After the defeat of the Highland clans at the Battle of CullodenBattle of Culloden
The Battle of Culloden was the final confrontation of the 1745 Jacobite Rising. Taking place on 16 April 1746, the battle pitted the Jacobite forces of Charles Edward Stuart against an army commanded by William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland, loyal to the British government...
in 1746, the "taming of the north" begun, and a network of highland roads was constructed by the government, with many planned and executed by General Wade.
Construction of the first bridge (photo) across the Kyle of Sutherland at Bonar Bridge started in September 1811 and completed in November 1812. The engineer was Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford
Thomas Telford FRS, FRSE was a Scottish civil engineer, architect and stonemason, and a noted road, bridge and canal builder.-Early career:...
and the builders were Simpson & Cargill. The New Statistical Account for Scotland explains that consideration was given to sites at Meikle Ferry (referred to as Portnacoulter, Port a' Choltair in Gaelic, named for its shape like a "coulter" the blade of a plough) which was considered too wide, at Creich (also considered too wide) and at Portinleck (between Culrain and Invershin
Invershin
Invershin is a scattered village six miles south of Lairg in south Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Invershin is located close to the junction of the River Shin and the River Oykel....
) which was further up the estuary and required a longer journey around and also a second bridge across the River Carron
River Carron, Sutherland
The River Carron is a river in Sutherland, in the Highlands of Scotland.It begins as the Abhainn a' Ghlinne Mhoir, which joins with the Alladale River to form the River Carron...
.
A plaque on the Ross-Shire side of the bridge was engraved with the following text:
"Traveller, Stop and Read with gratitude the Names of the Parliamentary Commissioners appointed in the Year 1803 to direct the Making of above Five Hundred Miles of Roads through the Highlands of Scotland and of numerouse Bridges, particularly those at Beauly, Scuddel, Bonar, Fleet, and Helmsdale, connecting those Roads!"
This cast iron
Cast iron
Cast iron is derived from pig iron, and while it usually refers to gray iron, it also identifies a large group of ferrous alloys which solidify with a eutectic. The color of a fractured surface can be used to identify an alloy. White cast iron is named after its white surface when fractured, due...
arch bridge
Arch bridge
An arch bridge is a bridge with abutments at each end shaped as a curved arch. Arch bridges work by transferring the weight of the bridge and its loads partially into a horizontal thrust restrained by the abutments at either side...
carried the Great North Road, and was the prototype for several other Telford bridges, including Craigellachie Bridge
Craigellachie Bridge
The Craigellachie Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge located at Craigellachie which is near to the village of Aberlour in Moray, Scotland. It was designed by the renowned civil engineer Thomas Telford and built from 1812–1814...
, Mythe Bridge
Mythe Bridge
Mythe Bridge carries the A438 road across the River Severn at Tewkesbury. It is a cast iron arch bridge spanning 170 feet and 24 feet wide, designed by Thomas Telford and completed in April 1826....
and Holt Fleet Bridge
Holt Fleet Bridge
Holt Fleet Bridge, also known as Holt Bridge, is a cast-iron arch bridge over the River Severn, at Holt in Worcestershire, England. It has a span of ; it was designed by Thomas Telford and opened in 1828...
. The bridges all employed diamond-shaped bracing in the arch spandrel
Spandrel
A spandrel, less often spandril or splaundrel, is the space between two arches or between an arch and a rectangular enclosure....
s. Spanning 45.7 m (150 ft), Bonar Bridge cost £9,736 to build, and lasted for 80 years. Historian Roland Paxton stated that it "combined elegance with economy and strength to an unparalleled degree".
See an image of the first bridge (with a scooner anchored below it) here from Tain Museum Archive.
The bridge was swept away by a flood on 29 January 1892, a winter of many great floods in the North of Scotland. Apparently this event occurred as predicted by the Brahan Seer
Brahan Seer
The Brahan Seer, known in his native Scottish Gaelic as Coinneach Odhar. Some have questioned whether he really existed at all. He is thought to have come from Uig on lands owned by the Seaforths, and to have been a Mackenzie, although both these details are in themselves questioned...
.
Second Bridge
The replacement bridge of Steel and Granite was "built by The County Councils of Ross and Cromarty and Sutherland 1893 Opened 6th, July, 1893" (taken from an engraving in a marble plaque on the Bonar end of this bridge" PhotographThird Bridge
The third bridge built at Bonar is the currently standing bridge. It was built alongside the older bridge while it was still standing (but considered weak and needing renewal) and after it was opened to traffic the second bridge was dismantled.Dornoch Firth Bridge
Since the construction of the Dornoch Bridge (see a Photograph) further down the estuary (to the east) and other roads direct to the north-west from DingwallDingwall
Dingwall is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It has a population of 5,026. It was formerly an east-coast harbor but now lies inland. Dingwall Castle was once the biggest castle north of Stirling. On the town's present-day outskirts lies Tulloch Castle, parts...
, traffic and commerce through Bonar Bridge has decreased.
Toponomy
The Scottish GaelicScottish Gaelic language
Scottish Gaelic is a Celtic language native to Scotland. A member of the Goidelic branch of the Celtic languages, Scottish Gaelic, like Modern Irish and Manx, developed out of Middle Irish, and thus descends ultimately from Primitive Irish....
word for ford is “Àth” .
The Kyle of Sutherland
Kyle of Sutherland
Kyle of Sutherland is a river estuary that separates Sutherland from Ross-shire. It flows into the Dornoch Firth and is fed by the rivers Oykel, Shin, River Cassley and Carron.The downstream extent of the Kyle of Sutherland is the bridge at Bonar Bridge...
had a ford here and it became called “Am Ban Àth”, “Ban” meaning 'fair', which would be "Fairford" in English.
Over time “Ban Àth” became recorded as:
- – "Bana" – on this 18th century map as part of "Bana Ferry").
- – “Bona” – on this 1730 military map).
- – “Bonar” – on this 1744 map) as part of "Bonar Ferry".
- – "Bonar" – after the 1812 construction of the first bridge at this site.
Thus the evolution of the name reflects the evolution of the water crossing at this point:
FairFord -> FairFord Ferry -> FairFord Bridge
Locals refer to the village as “Bonar”, usually dropping “Bridge”.
Flora and fauna
Atlantic Salmon, Sea Trout, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Buzzards, Osprey, Grey Seal, Oyster Catcher, etc.Economy
CroftingCrofting
Crofting is a form of land tenure and small-scale food production unique to the Scottish Highlands, the Islands of Scotland, and formerly on the Isle of Man....
and Farming
Forestry
Sporting Salmon (Rod) Fishing on nearby estates and rivers
Deer Stalking
Salmon Netting (now ceased)
Tourism
Most years, the village celebrates it Gala Week or the Salmon Queen Week, in August.Nearby places of interest for tourists visiting the area include:
- ArdgayArdgayArdgay is a small Scottish village on the north west shore of the Dornoch Firth, Sutherland and lies at the entrance to Strathcarron, the valley of the River Carron. In the Highland Council area Ardgay is in Ward 1, the North, West and Central Sutherland ward.Ardgay is served by the Ardgay...
- Carbisdale CastleCarbisdale CastleCarbisdale Castle was built in 1907 for the Duchess of Sutherland and is now used as a youth hostel, operated by the Scottish Youth Hostels Association. It is located on a hill above the Kyle of Sutherland in the region of Ross and Cromarty in the Highlands. The castle is situated north of Culrain,...
– a folly castle built by the dowager duchess of Sutherland and now a striking Youth Hostel owned and run by the Scottish Youth Hostel Association - Croick Church (map), with its evocative engravings on the church windows from sufferers of the Highland Clearances in the Amat area. Undiscovered Scotland Page
- Culrain – below Carbisdale CastleCarbisdale CastleCarbisdale Castle was built in 1907 for the Duchess of Sutherland and is now used as a youth hostel, operated by the Scottish Youth Hostels Association. It is located on a hill above the Kyle of Sutherland in the region of Ross and Cromarty in the Highlands. The castle is situated north of Culrain,...
- DornochDornochDornoch is a town and seaside resort, and former Royal burgh in the Highlands of Scotland. It lies on the north shore of the Dornoch Firth, near to where it opens into the Moray Firth to the east...
– a picturesque Royal Burgh with famous golf course (Royal Dornoch), a great beach and camping area, and others. - The Falls of Shin – where you may see salmon attempt to jump up the falls on the way upstream to spawn
- InvershinInvershinInvershin is a scattered village six miles south of Lairg in south Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland.Invershin is located close to the junction of the River Shin and the River Oykel....
- LairgLairgLairg is a village in Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. It has a population of about 700and is situated at the south-eastern end of Lairg is a village in [[Sutherland]], [[Highland |Highland]], [[Scotland]]...
- Ospisdale
- RosehallRosehallRosehall is a remote hamlet, located 1 mile northwest of Altass, in Sutherland, Scottish Highlands and is in the Scottish council area of Highland....
- Skibo CastleSkibo CastleSkibo Castle is located to the west of Dornoch in the Highland county of Sutherland, Scotland overlooking the Dornoch Firth. Although the castle dates back to the 12th century, the present structure is largely of the 19th century, and early 20th century, when it was the home of industrialist...
– which is now a luxury hotel/retreat known as the Carnegie Club - Spinningdale
Sports
- Bonar Bridge/Ardgay Golf Club— an 9-hole woodland-style course in beautiful countryside overlooking Migdale Loch.
- Bonar Bridge F.C.Bonar Bridge F.C.Bonar Bridge Football Club are a Scottish football club based in the town of Bonar Bridge in the Scottish highlands. Formed in 1968, The club were a member of the North Caledonian Football League until the start of the 2006–07 season, when they took a year out. After a one-year absence, they...
Football club
Notable people
John MurrayJohn Murray (theologian)
John Murray was a Scottish-born Calvinist theologian who taught at Princeton Seminary and then left to help found Westminster Theological Seminary, where he taught for many years.-Life:...
the Theologian.
Joe Strummer
Joe Strummer
John Graham Mellor , best remembered by his stage name Joe Strummer, was the co-founder, lyricist, rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist of the British punk rock band The Clash. His musical experience included his membership in The 101ers, Latino Rockabilly War, The Mescaleros and The Pogues, in...
's mother came from Bonar Bridge.