Spean Bridge
Encyclopedia
Spean Bridge is a village, in the Highland
region of Scotland
.
The village takes its name from the Highbridge
over the River Spean on General Wade's military road
between Fort William and Fort Augustus
, and not from Telford
's bridge of 1819 which carries the A82
over the river at the heart of the village.
Lying in the Great Glen
, Spean Bridge has transport links north towards Inverness
and south to Fort William, provided by the A82, and the A86
heads east to join the A9 at Kingussie
. The village is served by the Spean Bridge railway station
providing links to London
, and between 1903 and 1933 it offered a branch line service to Fort Augustus
.
The Highbridge Skirmish
on 16 August 1745 was the first engagement of the Jacobite Rising of 1745
.
The Commando Memorial
, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces
raised during Second World War, is located approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) north-west of Spean Bridge, at the junction of the A82 and the B8004. It overlooks the training areas of the Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at Achnacarry Castle
.
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
region 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 village takes its name from the Highbridge
Highbridge, Scotland
Highbridge is located on the River Spean, downstream from the village of Spean Bridge in the Scottish Highlands. The village takes its name from this bridge....
over the River Spean on General Wade's military road
Old military roads of Scotland
A network of military roads was constructed in the Scottish Highlands during the middle part of the 18th century as part of an attempt by the British Government to bring order to a part of the country which had risen up in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715....
between Fort William and Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is a settlement in the Scottish Highlands, at the south west end of Loch Ness. The village has a population of around 646 ; its economy is heavily reliant on tourism....
, and not from 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:...
's bridge of 1819 which carries the A82
A82 road
The A82 is a trunk road in Scotland. It is the principal route from Lowland Scotland to the western Scottish Highlands, running from Glasgow to Inverness, going by Loch Lomond, Glen Coe and Fort William. It is the second longest primary A-road in Scotland after the A9, which is the other...
over the river at the heart of the village.
Lying in the Great Glen
Great Glen
The Great Glen , also known as Glen Albyn or Glen More is a series of glens in Scotland running 100 kilometres from Inverness on the Moray Firth, to Fort William at the head of Loch Linnhe.The Great Glen follows a large geological fault known as the Great Glen Fault...
, Spean Bridge has transport links north towards 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...
and south to Fort William, provided by the A82, and the A86
A86 road
The A86 is a major road in Scotland, United Kingdom, it runs from Spean Bridge to Kingussie. It is a primary route for all of its length.Travelling along this route carries a medium to high risk of suffering a death or serious injury accident according to EuroRAP.-References:...
heads east to join the A9 at Kingussie
Kingussie
Kingussie is a small town in the Highland region of Scotland. It is one settlement in the Highland Council ward of Badenoch and Strathspey, and is the capital of the district of Badenoch. It lies beside the A9 road, although the old route of the A9 serves as the town's main street...
. The village is served by the Spean Bridge railway station
Spean Bridge railway station
Spean Bridge railway station is a railway station serving the village of Spean Bridge in the Highland region of Scotland. This station is on the West Highland Line.- History :...
providing links to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and between 1903 and 1933 it offered a branch line service to Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus
Fort Augustus is a settlement in the Scottish Highlands, at the south west end of Loch Ness. The village has a population of around 646 ; its economy is heavily reliant on tourism....
.
The Highbridge Skirmish
Highbridge Skirmish
The Highbridge Skirmish was the first engagement of the Jacobite Rising of 1745 between British Government troops and Jacobites loyal to Prince Charles Edward Stuart...
on 16 August 1745 was the first engagement of the Jacobite Rising of 1745
Jacobite Rising of 1745
The Jacobite rising of 1745, often referred to as "The 'Forty-Five," was the attempt by Charles Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart. The rising occurred during the War of the Austrian Succession when most of the British Army was on the European continent...
.
The Commando Memorial
Commando Memorial
The Commando Memorial is a Category A listed monument in Scotland, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces raised during World War II. Situated around a mile from Spean Bridge village, it overlooks the training areas of the Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at...
, dedicated to the men of the original British Commando Forces
British Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
raised during Second World War, is located approximately 1 miles (1.6 km) north-west of Spean Bridge, at the junction of the A82 and the B8004. It overlooks the training areas of the Commando Training Depot established in 1942 at Achnacarry Castle
Achnacarry Castle
Achnacarry Castle is the ancestral home of the chiefs of Clan Cameron, located at Achnacarry, about northeast of Fort William, Scotland. The original castle was built around 1655 and destroyed after the Battle of Culloden in 1746; a new house in Scottish baronial style was built nearby in...
.