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Summary

Description

Probably James Milne, 1824 with later stairs 1887. Segmental arched bridge with smaller land arch to right (S) and large Jacobean style stairs to right (S). Coursed squared sandstone rubble, with some sandstone ashlar to stair. Banded base course and ashlar pilasters to bridge piers. Alternating raised voussoirs. Corniced dentilled eaves with narrow blocking course over. Cast-iron railings forming parapet to roadway.

STAIRS: double staircase set to E and W sides of S end of bridge. Banded base course to corniced sandstone ashlar parapets and piers with large sandstone pyramid finials. Small round arch flanked by curved stair at N side of W staircase. Pedimented carved panel to centre.

Statement of Special Interest

St Bernard's Bridge is a well detailed bridge forming the entrance to part of an outstanding example of early 19th century urban planning with a classical design scheme by prominent architect James Milne. The bridge was designed to provide easy access to the Raeburn Estate which Milne was developing, and provided a processional entrance to the estate at Dean Terrace. The provision of a bridge made access to and from the area easier as Telford's high level crossing upstream (see separate listing) had not yet been completed and the Stock Bridge, 200metres downstream, was not widened until circa 1830. The large Jacobean stairs may have been planned as part of the 1888 restoration and improvement work of the nearby St Bernard's Well (see separate listing) which was funded by the publisher William Nelson. The bridge is an integral part of Edinburgh's New Town, which is an outstanding example of classical urban planning that was influential throughout Britain and Europe.

The bridge was designed as a key part of the development of the land of Sir Henry Raeburn. The design exploits a prominent site on the river with a broad bowl of flat land to either side providing the ideal place for a crossing. It is likely that Milne was the architect for the bridge as he was working elsewhere on the Raeburn estate, most notably at Ann Street (see separate listings).

Henry Raeburn was born in Stockbridge and acquired the house and grounds of Deanhaugh through marriage, before adding adjacent land at St Bernard's. He occupied St Bernard's House until his death in 1823 when it was demolished to accommodate the growing residential development of the estate, making space for the eastern side of Carlton Street. The authorship of James Milne for the whole development is not certain, but the elevations for the principal streets bear the characteristic features of his designs elsewhere, such as Lynedoch Place (see separate listing) where the streetfronting gardens found on Ann Street are also used.

James Milne was an architect and mason working in Edinburgh between 1809 and 1834 (when he moved to Newcastle). His other works in Edinburgh also include Lynedoch Place and Saxe-Coburg Place (see separate listings). Milne was also the author of The Elements of Architecture only the 1st volume of which was published in Edinburgh in 1812.

(List description updated at re-survey 2012).

References

Bibliography

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