Scheduled Monument
Bridge of Earn, Old Bridge of EarnSM9468
Status: Designated
Documents
Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions (https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/termsandconditions).
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.
Summary
- Date Added
- 11/03/2002
- Type
- Industrial: bridge, viaduct, aqueduct; road or trackway
- Local Authority
- Perth And Kinross
- Parish
- Dunbarney
- NGR
- NO 13275 18551
- Coordinates
- 313275, 718551
Description
The monument consists of the remains of the medieval Old Bridge of Earn.
The monument lies immediately to the north of Bridge of Earn, with surviving components visible both in the River Earn and on its northern bank. Contemporary documents, including exchequer rolls, mention a bridge in 1329, 1402, 1409, and 1530 A.D. The grant of stone for the construction of a bridge is mentioned in a record dated 1329. The bridge is again mentioned in 1614 (NSA 1845) though it was ruinous in 1592 A.D (Inglis 1913). There were formerly five arches, but a sixth was built circa 1760 as a northward extension. By 1860 the bridge consisted of just two complete arches on the south bank and an abutment on the north bank of the river (Name Book 1860). The last two surviving arches of the Old Bridge of Earn were demolished in 1976; only an abutment and approach ramp survive on the N side. The ramp is flanked by low stone parapets 6.2m apart that on the E surviving for a distance of about 16m. A surviving length of the original approach road to the N side of the bridge survives as a grass-grown mound stretching from the N side of the bridge (NO 1330 1860) to a point close to a modern bend in the old Perth to Edinburgh road (NO 1323 1869).
An archaeological evaluation was carried out on the known site of the medieval bridge in advance of the construction of a flood prevention scheme. Trial trenches uncovered mortared masonry that may relate to the approach road to the bridge. Trenches located along the river bank failed to uncover any material due to the presence of a modern revetment consisting of wire cages filled with stones (Will 1999).
The proposed scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is irregular with maximum dimensions of 160m NNE-SSW by 50m WNW-ESE as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The river bed within the defined area is also included in the schedule.
References
Bibliography
No Bibliography entries for this designation
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.