Listed Building

The only legal part of the listing under the Planning (Listing Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997 is the address/name of site. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing – see 'About Listed Buildings' below for more information. The further details below the 'Address/Name of Site' are provided for information purposes only.

Address/Name of Site

OXENFOORD POLICIES, CRANSTOUN DEAN BRIDGELB49103

Status: Designated

Documents

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Summary

Category
B
Date Added
26/02/2003
Local Authority
Midlothian
Planning Authority
Midlothian
Parish
Cranston
NGR
NT 39010 65161
Coordinates
339010, 665161

Description

Charles Abercromby, 1805. High single-span bridge flanked by classical pilasters with parapet and curved wing-walls. Dressed and droved yellow sandstone ashlar with some red sandstone.

S & N (PRINCIPAL) ELEVATIONS: single semi-circular span, with ashlar voussoirs and moulded impost course; moulded dentil course with parapet above, slab coping to all. Pilasters and slightly projecting support walls to flanks of span with square details to courses, curved wing walls to each side. To S side, carved stones in right pilaster inscribed "JAMES CLERK of chesterhall Convenor, Cha Abercromby Edin arch, 1805". To N side, left wing wall terminated in buttress (supporting high adjoining bank).

Statement of Special Interest

This bridge, crossing the Cranston Dene, is on the now unused drive leading from Oxenfoord Castle to the South Lodge (both listed separately). The bridge was built at the same time as its sister bridge, the Tyne Bridge (listed separately) and found near the Lion's Gate entrance to Preston Hall. They were built in 1805, as part of improvements to the road structure in Midlothian. It was the work of the Convenor of Roads and Highways - James Clerk, Esq of Chester Hall (a now demolished mansion / country house abutting the Oxenfoord policies to the west of the main road, near what is now called Chester Hill or Edgehead). The architect for the scheme was Charles Abercromby of Edinburgh. The height of its single arch is 29ft but it has an overall "altitude" of 38ft to the ridge of the parapet. The straight portion of the parapet measures 38ft, with flanking walls of 16ft each. Although sister bridges, the Cranstoun Dene Bridge was described (in 1907) as being "much superior in architectural design to the Tyne Bridge". Cranstoun as a village ceased to exist, as did its earlier church - which was rebuilt in the early 1800s in it current position. This bridge was used to carry the south drive for Oxenfoord Castle to the main road. The Lothian Bridge, by Thomas Telford, became the most prominent bridge over the Tyne in the area and formed an early by-pass for the estates. That bridge still carries the main A68 road whilst these two bridges, although admired at their time of construction, have become largely forgotten.

References

Bibliography

1st Edition ORDNANCE SURVEY MAP (circa 1856) showing bridge; earlier maps showing ford. Rev John Dickson, CRANSTOUN: A PARISH HISTORY, pp 143-144.

About Listed Buildings

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.

Listing is the process that identifies, designates and provides statutory protection for buildings of special architectural or historic interest as set out in the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) (Scotland) Act 1997.

We list buildings which are found to be of special architectural or historic interest using the selection guidance published in Designation Policy and Selection Guidance (2019)

Listed building records provide an indication of the special architectural or historic interest of the listed building which has been identified by its statutory address. The description and additional information provided are supplementary and have no legal weight.

These records are not definitive historical accounts or a complete description of the building(s). If part of a building is not described it does not mean it is not listed. The format of the listed building record has changed over time. Earlier records may be brief and some information will not have been recorded.

The legal part of the listing is the address/name of site which is known as the statutory address. Other than the name or address of a listed building, further details are provided for information purposes only. Historic Environment Scotland does not accept any liability for any loss or damage suffered as a consequence of inaccuracies in the information provided. Addresses and building names may have changed since the date of listing. Even if a number or name is missing from a listing address it will still be listed. Listing covers both the exterior and the interior and any object or structure fixed to the building. Listing also applies to buildings or structures not physically attached but which are part of the curtilage (or land) of the listed building as long as they were erected before 1 July 1948.

While Historic Environment Scotland is responsible for designating listed buildings, the planning authority is responsible for determining what is covered by the listing, including what is listed through curtilage. However, for listed buildings designated or for listings amended from 1 October 2015, legal exclusions to the listing may apply.

If part of a building is not listed, it will say that it is excluded in the statutory address and in the statement of special interest in the listed building record. The statement will use the word 'excluding' and quote the relevant section of the 1997 Act. Some earlier listed building records may use the word 'excluding', but if the Act is not quoted, the record has not been revised to reflect subsequent legislation.

Listed building consent is required for changes to a listed building which affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest. The relevant planning authority is the point of contact for applications for listed building consent.

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

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