North Bridge, Edinburgh
Encyclopedia
North Bridge is a road bridge and street in Edinburgh
linking the High Street
with Princes Street
, and the New Town
with the Old
. The current bridge was built between 1894–97. A previous North Bridge, built from 1763–72, stood until 1896.
, which company is also noted for construction of the Forth Bridge.
The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 1896 by the then Lord Provost (the Rt. Hon Andrew McDonald, with Masonic ceremonial. A medal was struck commemorating the opening of the bridge on 15 September 1897. The medal shows a view of the bridge with trains underneath and on the obverse a bust of the by then knighted Sir Andrew McDonald, Lord Provost.
Situated on the bridge is a war memorial, by sculptor William Birnie Rhind
which memorialises soldiers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers
killed in campaigns between 1878 and 1902.
At the southern end of the bridge (where it meets the Royal Mile
and South Bridge
, in the Old Town
) are substantial buildings whose main entrances are at carriageway level but which also have entrances in the valley below. Those on the west side are The Scotsman Hotel
, former headquarters of The Scotsman
newspaper, alongside a block of commercial premises and flats ("Royal Mile Mansions"). That on the east housed Patrick Thomson's department store from 1906 until 1976 when its then owner the House of Fraser
rebranded it as Arnotts department store. The store closed in 1981, and the building was redeveloped as a hotel and smaller shops.
At the northern end of the bridge, where it meets Princes Street
in the New Town
, on the west side is the Balmoral Hotel
, originally built as the North British Hotel, the North British Railway
's hotel serving Waverley Station
, which lies below. On the east side is Waverley Gate, originally the Edinburgh General Post Office
, now serving as office space.
, a driving force behind the modernisation of Edinburgh. In that year, the North Loch
, which separates the New from the Old Town, was drained, and the mud removed. But, though the erection of the bridge was resolved upon at that time, the contract for building the bridge was not signed till the 21 August 1765. The parties to this contract were the town-council of Edinburgh, and William Mylne
, architect, brother to Robert Mylne
. The sum agreed for was £10,140; the work was to be completed before Martinmas (11 November) 1769, and Mylne was to guarantee the works for a period of ten years.
A difficulty, however, occurred in the course of the work, which had neither been foreseen nor provided against. As the north side of the hill on which the old part of the city stands is extremely steep, it had been found convenient, in early times, to throw the earth dug from the foundations of houses down this declivity, towards the North Loch. As a result the whole mass, to a considerable depth, consisted entirely of loose earth. Mylne underestimated the depth of foundations required. This, together with other design faults, led to a collapse of part of the structure on 3 August 1769, killing five people. Rebuilding work cost another £18,000 and the bridge reopened in 1772.
The North Bridge consisted of three central arches, two side arches, with several smaller concealed ones at each end, of the following dimensions: width of the three central arches, 72 feet (21.9 m) each; breadth or thickness of the piers, 13.5 feet (4.1 m); width of the small arches, 20 feet (6.1 m) each. The total length of the piers and arches was 310 feet (94.5 m); and the whole length of the bridge, from the High Street to Princes Street was 1125 feet (342.9 m). The height of the central arches, from the top of the parapet to the base, was 68 feet (20.7 m); the breadth of the bridge within the wall over the arches was 40 feet (12.2 m); and the breadth at each end 50 feet (15.2 m). Towards the northern extremity, however, the bridge was widened(?) by the erection of a range of buildings on the site of a lane called St Ann Street.
This first North Bridge was demolished in 1896 to make way for its successor.
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...
linking the High Street
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
with Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
, and the New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
with the Old
Old Town, Edinburgh
The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the medieval part of the city. Together with the 18th-century New Town, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings....
. The current bridge was built between 1894–97. A previous North Bridge, built from 1763–72, stood until 1896.
Current North Bridge
The current North Bridge is 525 feet long and has three spans of arched girders each 175 feet in length. It is 75 feet wide. It was constructed from 1894–7 by Sir William Arrol & Co.Sir William Arrol & Co.
Sir William Arrol & Co. was a leading Scottish civil engineering business founded by William Arrol and based in Glasgow. It built some of the most famous bridges in the United Kingdom including the Forth Bridge and Tower Bridge in London.-Early history:...
, which company is also noted for construction of the Forth Bridge.
The foundation stone was laid on 25 May 1896 by the then Lord Provost (the Rt. Hon Andrew McDonald, with Masonic ceremonial. A medal was struck commemorating the opening of the bridge on 15 September 1897. The medal shows a view of the bridge with trains underneath and on the obverse a bust of the by then knighted Sir Andrew McDonald, Lord Provost.
Situated on the bridge is a war memorial, by sculptor William Birnie Rhind
William Birnie Rhind
William Birnie Rhind RSA was a Scottish sculptor.Rhind was born in Edinburgh as the eldest son of sculptor John Rhind , and the elder brother of J. Massey Rhind...
which memorialises soldiers of the King's Own Scottish Borderers
King's Own Scottish Borderers
The King's Own Scottish Borderers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Scottish Division.-History:It was raised on 18 March 1689 by the Earl of Leven to defend Edinburgh against the Jacobite forces of James II. It is said that 800 men were recruited within the space of two hours...
killed in campaigns between 1878 and 1902.
At the southern end of the bridge (where it meets the Royal Mile
Royal Mile
The Royal Mile is a succession of streets which form the main thoroughfare of the Old Town of the city of Edinburgh in Scotland.As the name suggests, the Royal Mile is approximately one Scots mile long, and runs between two foci of history in Scotland, from Edinburgh Castle at the top of the Castle...
and South Bridge
South Bridge, Edinburgh
South Bridge is a bridge in Edinburgh, Scotland. Largely appearing to be a street, rather than a bridge, at its deck level, it starts at the Tron Kirk and finishes at the Old College, University of Edinburgh, crossing various smaller streets. Below deck level are many buildings and vaults, the...
, in the Old Town
Old Town, Edinburgh
The Old Town of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, is the medieval part of the city. Together with the 18th-century New Town, it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It has preserved its medieval plan and many Reformation-era buildings....
) are substantial buildings whose main entrances are at carriageway level but which also have entrances in the valley below. Those on the west side are The Scotsman Hotel
The Scotsman Hotel
The Scotsman Hotel Edinburgh opened in 2001 in the Victorian building which had housed The Scotsman newspaper for nearly a century. The hotel is located on North Bridge between the Royal Mile and Princes Street, thereby straddling Edinburgh’s Medieval Old Town and Georgian New Town.- Ownership...
, former headquarters of The Scotsman
The Scotsman
The Scotsman is a British newspaper, published in Edinburgh.As of August 2011 it had an audited circulation of 38,423, down from about 100,000 in the 1980s....
newspaper, alongside a block of commercial premises and flats ("Royal Mile Mansions"). That on the east housed Patrick Thomson's department store from 1906 until 1976 when its then owner the House of Fraser
House of Fraser
House of Fraser is a British department store group with over 60 stores across the United Kingdom and Ireland. It was established in Glasgow, Scotland in 1849 as Arthur and Fraser. By 1891 it was known as Fraser & Sons. The company grew steadily during the early 20th century, but after the Second...
rebranded it as Arnotts department store. The store closed in 1981, and the building was redeveloped as a hotel and smaller shops.
At the northern end of the bridge, where it meets Princes Street
Princes Street
Princes Street is one of the major thoroughfares in central Edinburgh, Scotland, UK, and its main shopping street. It is the southernmost street of Edinburgh's New Town, stretching around 1 mile from Lothian Road in the west to Leith Street in the east. The street is mostly closed to private...
in the New Town
New Town, Edinburgh
The New Town is a central area of Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is often considered to be a masterpiece of city planning, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site...
, on the west side is the Balmoral Hotel
Balmoral Hotel
The Balmoral is a luxury five-star hotel and landmark in Edinburgh, Scotland, known as the North British Hotel until the late 1980s. It is located in the heart of the city at the east end of Princes Street, the main shopping street beneath the Edinburgh Castle rock, and the southern edge of the New...
, originally built as the North British Hotel, the North British Railway
North British Railway
The North British Railway was a Scottish railway company that was absorbed into the London and North Eastern Railway at the Grouping in 1923.-History:...
's hotel serving Waverley Station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station
Edinburgh Waverley railway station is the main railway station in the Scottish capital Edinburgh. Covering an area of over 25 acres in the centre of the city, it is the second-largest main line railway station in the United Kingdom in terms of area, the largest being...
, which lies below. On the east side is Waverley Gate, originally the Edinburgh General Post Office
General Post Office
General Post Office is the name of the British postal system from 1660 until 1969.General Post Office may also refer to:* General Post Office, Perth* General Post Office, Sydney* General Post Office, Melbourne* General Post Office, Brisbane...
, now serving as office space.
First North Bridge
The first stone of the original bridge was laid on 21 October 1763 by the Lord Provost, George DrummondGeorge Drummond
George Drummond was accountant-general of excise in Scotland and a local politician, elected Lord Provost of Edinburgh a number of times between 1725 and 1764....
, a driving force behind the modernisation of Edinburgh. In that year, the North Loch
Nor Loch
The Nor Loch, also known as the Nor' Loch and the North Loch, was a loch formerly in Edinburgh, Scotland, in the area now occupied by Princes Street Gardens, which lies between the Royal Mile and Princes Street.- Geological formation :...
, which separates the New from the Old Town, was drained, and the mud removed. But, though the erection of the bridge was resolved upon at that time, the contract for building the bridge was not signed till the 21 August 1765. The parties to this contract were the town-council of Edinburgh, and William Mylne
William Mylne
William Mylne was a Scottish architect and engineer. He is best known as the builder of the North Bridge, which links the Old and New Towns of Edinburgh, Scotland. He was the younger brother of Robert Mylne, architect and designer of Blackfriars Bridge in London.-Early life:William was descended...
, architect, brother to Robert Mylne
Robert Mylne
Robert Mylne was a Scottish architect and civil engineer, particularly remembered for his design for Blackfriars Bridge in London. Born and raised in Edinburgh, he travelled to Europe as a young man, studying architecture in Rome under Piranesi...
. The sum agreed for was £10,140; the work was to be completed before Martinmas (11 November) 1769, and Mylne was to guarantee the works for a period of ten years.
A difficulty, however, occurred in the course of the work, which had neither been foreseen nor provided against. As the north side of the hill on which the old part of the city stands is extremely steep, it had been found convenient, in early times, to throw the earth dug from the foundations of houses down this declivity, towards the North Loch. As a result the whole mass, to a considerable depth, consisted entirely of loose earth. Mylne underestimated the depth of foundations required. This, together with other design faults, led to a collapse of part of the structure on 3 August 1769, killing five people. Rebuilding work cost another £18,000 and the bridge reopened in 1772.
The North Bridge consisted of three central arches, two side arches, with several smaller concealed ones at each end, of the following dimensions: width of the three central arches, 72 feet (21.9 m) each; breadth or thickness of the piers, 13.5 feet (4.1 m); width of the small arches, 20 feet (6.1 m) each. The total length of the piers and arches was 310 feet (94.5 m); and the whole length of the bridge, from the High Street to Princes Street was 1125 feet (342.9 m). The height of the central arches, from the top of the parapet to the base, was 68 feet (20.7 m); the breadth of the bridge within the wall over the arches was 40 feet (12.2 m); and the breadth at each end 50 feet (15.2 m). Towards the northern extremity, however, the bridge was widened(?) by the erection of a range of buildings on the site of a lane called St Ann Street.
This first North Bridge was demolished in 1896 to make way for its successor.