Feugh Lodge, Banchory, Aberdeenshire
Location N 57°02.5’
W 02°29.5’
OSGR NO702947
Span 30m (100feet)
Width 1.2m (4 feet)
Built 1893
Evidence that this was a Harper bridge: definite
Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums Collections
This bridge is interesting since it demonstrates the transition between the styles of father John and son Louis. Louis has adopted the full main cable and developed the arch but has retained the John Harper tensioners for the deck cable. It is thought that this was the last time the cable tensioner was used - and it is still in use, spanning the R. Feugh, a tributary of the Dee.
University of Aberdeen, George Washington Wilson Collection
The bridge is in private grounds and over the years has been modified. The masts were originally timber, with an early version of the Harper finial, then the cone was truncated as seen in George Washington Wilson’s beautiful winter photograph. The timber posts were replace by ‘I’ beam steel posts, as were many of the surviving bridges, probably around the turn of the century.
Today the bridge has been recently redecked and at some time the arch was flattened to the horizontal, making it less stable. Apart from this caveat it is well maintained but not accessible to the public.
Other bridges in Scotland
Upper Glentanar, Aberdeenshire
Tanarmouth, Aberdeenshire
Waterside of Aboyne, Aberdeenshire
Aberlour, Moray
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