Documents

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The legal document available for download below constitutes the formal designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The additional details provided on this page are provided for information purposes only and do not form part of the designation. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within this additional information.

• Type

  Legal Documents

  Title

  SM11525_Legal Doc

  Download(https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/document/600014009)

Summary

Description

The monument consists of a length of military road and bridge over the Midlairgs Burn, to the SSE of Mid Lairgs.

The road is a section of the Dunkeld to Inverness military road that was built following a recommendation in a memorial on the state of the Highlands presented to George I in 1724 by Lord Lovat. Following inspection of the area by Major-General George Wade later that year, Wade advocated the re-establishment of Highland companies, the construction of a number of forts, and the provision of a boat on Loch Ness. The construction of a network of roads to enable rapid troop movement was an essential concomitant of this proposal. Wade was soon afterwards appointed Commander-in-Chief of North Britain, and the first of the network of roads was being built in 1725. Construction of the road from Dunkeld to Inverness, a length of 102 miles, took place in 1728-30.

By 1809 the road was showing signs of decay, and the Commissioners for Highland Roads and Bridges said it had been constructed 'without regard to the rugged nature of the country', following which there was extensive reconstruction.

The bridge, which is well preserved, has a single arch of segmental curvature, constructed of whin rubble, with little of any parapet now surviving; it has a modern metalled surface. The road to either side survives as a clearly defined grassed over hollowed track

The area to be scheduled is linear in plan, varying slightly in width, to include the road, bridge and an area around in which evidence for their construction and use may survive, as marked in red on the accompanying map.

Statement of National Importance

Cultural Significance

The monument's archaeological and historical significance can be expressed as follows:

Intrinsic characteristics: The structure of the bridge (apart from the parapet) and the line of the road are particularly well preserved. The state of preservation has benefited from the fact that this stretch of road is no longer on the line of the modern road and has therefore been unaffected by modern transport requirements.

Contextual characteristics: The stretch of road and the bridge together provide a valuable illustration of the relationship between the early 18th-century military roads and the Highland landscape through which they ran, despite the changes that were presumably made after 1809.

Associative characteristics: The 18th-century 'pacification' of the Highlands, in response to the Jacobite threat, and the Rising of 1715 in particular, resulted in a network of fortifications and roads that are an important feature of the early modern history of what had come to be known as North Britain. A well-preserved section such as this is particularly to be valued. Its direct association with General Wade adds to its interest.

National importance

The monument is of national importance as a particularly well-preserved example of a length of military road and a bridge crossing dating from the earlier 18th-century 'pacification' of the Highlands, and as remodelled in 1809.

References

Bibliography

About Scheduled Monuments

Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating sites and places at the national level. These designations are Scheduled monuments, Listed buildings, Inventory of gardens and designed landscapes and Inventory of historic battlefields.

We make recommendations to the Scottish Government about historic marine protected areas, and the Scottish Ministers decide whether to designate.

Scheduling is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for monuments and archaeological sites of national importance as set out in the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979.

We schedule sites and monuments that are found to be of national importance using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Scheduled monument records provide an indication of the national importance of the scheduled monument which has been identified by the description and map. The description and map (see ‘legal documents’ above) showing the scheduled area is the designation of the monument under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. The statement of national importance and additional information provided are supplementary and provided for general information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland accepts no liability for any loss or damages arising from reliance on any inaccuracies within the statement of national importance or additional information. These records are not definitive historical or archaeological accounts or a complete description of the monument(s).

The format of scheduled monument records has changed over time. Earlier records will usually be brief. Some information will not have been recorded and the map will not be to current standards. Even if what is described and what is mapped has changed, the monument is still scheduled.

Scheduled monument consent is required to carry out certain work, including repairs, to scheduled monuments. Applications for scheduled monument consent are made to us. We are happy to discuss your proposals with you before you apply and we do not charge for advice or consent. More information about consent and how to apply for it can be found on our website at www.historicenvironment.scot.

Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. You can contact us on 0131 668 8914 or at designations@hes.scot.