SMR 839 / NS 9834 7716
The early medieval road from Linlithgow to Falkirk crossed the River Avon by a ford near Manuel Nunnery. There the valley sides shelved gently down to the river and there was a slight change in the alignment of the river creating a broader and shallower stretch of water with a gravel bed. When it came to constructing a bridge for the road, a different location was required – one where the river flowed straighter and the banks were higher and where a rock foundation could be found. That site was close to the existing Linlithgow Bridge and it is probable that the original structure was of timber. Just when it was built is not known. As this was the arterial road between the royal centres at Edinburgh and Stirling it is likely to have been replaced by a stone structure at an early date. Such a bridge would have been low level, with the road angling down the valley slopes to either side of it. A bridge was certainly in existence by 1526 when the Battle of Linlithgow Bridge took place. At that time the bridge was the only one over the river and so was known simply as Avon Bridge.
It appears as “Aiven brig” on property descriptions from 1553. Timothy Pont in the mid 16th century depicts a bridge at this location on one of his sketches, though another one omits it. The bridge and road are prominently shown on Blaeu’s subsequent map which was based upon Pont’s work.
A high-level stone bridge with a semi-circular arch of 60ft span was constructed sometime in the period 1625-1640 by Alexander, First Earl of Linlithgow and the Privy Seal granted the Earl of Linlithgow a charter in 1650 conferring on him the right to levy custom thereat for the space of 19 years, to compensate him for his outlay. The right to do so was confirmed in 1677 by a grant to his son for another 19 years. Under a minute of the Town Council of Linlithgow, it appears that the Royal Grant was acquired by the Council from the Earl of Linlithgow for the sum of £1,621 Scots. An Act of the Scots Parliament of 16 June 1685 was passed
“continuing and perpetuating the Royal Grant to the burgh, and in case there should be any surplus over and above that which is necessary for repairing and upholding of the said bridge, the same to be applied to any public use for the good and utility of the said town, the said Magistrates always holding and repairing the said bridge as it is at present for the use of the lieges.”
This would have been a narrow hump-backed bridge. Traders evidently tried to evade the toll by using other crossing points and so, the Council,being unable to keep the bridge in repair, the 1685 Act extended the powers. By consent of the King’s Commissioner, and the estate of the Scots Parliament, the Burgh was given the right in all time coming to levy custom at all points of the River Avon, betwixt Torphichen Mill and the mouth of Avon. The tollhouse was on the Linlithgow side of the bridge and the revised revenues were more than sufficient to maintain it. Johnson of Kirkland mentions the bridge in 1725:
“The water of Aven… has three bridges upon it… the third is Linlithgow bridge, which is upon the publick road from Falkirk to Linlithgow. they have each of them one arch Linlithgow bridge is reckoned one of the largest bridges in Scotland, of one arch… along this bridge goes the Highland Cattle from the markets at Falkirk in their way to the borders of England” (McFarlane 1906, 317).
In 1735 it was noted that the change-house (i.e. public house) at the east end of Linlithgow Bridge was
“now more frequented than formerly, since the roads were mended by General Wade” (Caledonian Mercury 25 August 1735, 4).
The road and bridge were strategically important.
This was emphasised in the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745/46 when both sides held the bridge at various stages in the campaign in order to deny access to the enemy (see Bailey 2025). The production of Roy’s map of 1755 was partly a response to the rebellion and shows a small settlement on the east side of the bridge. This housed a flourishing community with its own market place – but it still came within the auspices of the burgh of Linlithgow and at the annual “Riding of the Marches” the representatives of the burgh rode out to the bridge and performed a small ceremony to stamp their authority on the place. On the west side of the bridge, which was in Stirlingshire, there was a public house to serve travellers (and highwaymen). Its publican joined the Jacobite cause in 1745. Here the road now bifurcated. The old road ran onto Whitecross but a new turnpike road split off and headed north-westwards to Polmont.
Responsibility for the bridge passed to the Road Trustees in the late 18th century and then to the shire. In 1811 the Road Trustees of Stirlingshire wrote to their colleagues in the Linlithgow Turnpike Trust proposing that the bridge should be widened and it seems that this was done shortly thereafter.
Both the maps of Forrest and Grasssom show the road from Linlithgow crossing the bridge and then proceeding straight on to Whitecross. By the time of the 1850s Ordnance Survey maps the turnpike road through Polmont was predominant.
In the late 1830s preparations were being laid for the construction of the Edinburgh to Glasgow Railway. This caused great concern to the burghers of Linlithgow because it was evident that freight using the railway would bypass Linlithgow Bridge and not only would they not benefit from the additional traffic but the existing pontage dues would be reduced. They therefore successfully argued for clauses to be placed in the necessary Parliamentary Act to protect their income. The Railway Company was well aware of the implications of these clauses but was willing to have them inserted in order to get the line built, with the intention of disputing them later. The cost of going to law usually meant that the Railway Company got its way and its attitude at this time was exemplified by its contempt for the authorities at Falkirk over the town’s water supply (see Falkirk water supply before 1860).
In the 237th section of the 1838 Act of Parliament it was enacted that
“Provided always, and be it further enacted, that nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to take away, abridge, or diminish any rights, privileges, jurisdictions, or powers which at present belong to and are enjoyed, or which are claimed (in virtue of act of Parliament, Royal charters, immemorial usage, or otherwise) by the magistrates and Town Council of the Royal burgh of Linlithgow, or by the said Magistrates, or by any of them, to demand, take, receive, or levy customs upon any cattle, carriages, goods, or any other thing whatsoever, passing, led, driven, or carried over the water of Avon, by any ford or bridge, or by any viaduct or other bridges that may be built or erected across the said water of Avon by the said company; and if any act, matter, or thing, shall be done in virtue of this act whereby such customs shall be diminished, or shall act, matter, or thing, when done, shall have the effect to diminish the same, then the said Magistrates and Town Council shall and may receive such indemnification from the said company as shall and may be agreed upon between them; and, in case they cannot agree, as shall be settled by a jury, in the manner in which satisfaction is directed to be made by this act…”
So, when the railway was opened in February 1842, the provost, baillies, and council of the burgh claimed toll on goods carried through the town by the railway, and also bridge tolls in respect of goods carried over the viaduct. On both points the Lord Ordinary, Lord Wood, decided in 1847 in favour of the magistrates of Linlithgow, and supported their claim of tolls. The Railway Company immediately appealed.
The Burgh of Linlithgow claimed that a charter granted by King Robert II on 23 October 1389, followed by Acts of Parliament in 1594, 1661, and 1685 gave it a right to dues on goods crossing the River Avon between the ford at Manuel and the mouth of the river at the Forth. These had been practiced since time immemorial and through use and wont had become accepted.
The Duke of Hamilton had gained an exemption for the ford at Jinkabouts for the people of Bo’ness. The Railway Company denied that the Avon Viaduct was made at a ford or other previously known passage. The 1849 appeal failed. Linlithgow had been supported in its legal costs by contributions from the burghs of Dumfries and Ayr which were in a similar position to Linlithgow with respect to pontage dues and railways. The Railway Company persisted and the case went all of the way up to the House of Lords. The case rumbled on as it was batted backwards and forwards amongst the various committees and members of the justiciary died. Eventually, in August 1859 the House of Lords overturned the previous court decisions.
After the adoption of the Roads and Bridges Act the counties of Stirlingshire and Linlithgowshire raised an action in the Court of Session to have it declared that the Burgh of Linlithgow had no patrimonial interest in the pontages and customs that were levied at the bridge. The court decided that the Burgh did have a patrimonial interest in the bridge, and refused interdict. For the loss of the pontages the Burgh claimed a sum of £3,000. An appeal against the decision was lodged with the Second Division, but subsequent to the case being called meetings were held between the litigants, and the Town Council agreed, so as to prevent what might be a long and expensive litigation, to accept an amended offer of £900 with £50 in lieu of expenses, reserving their tacks man’s right to levy the bridge customs to the 15th May of that year, that being the period for which the customs were let.
The bridge was only 14ft wide between the parapets and in view of the increasing traffic it was considered necessary to have it widened. Some Committee members opposed the move, one asking how they had managed to do without it for the last hundred years. The Clerk stated that the cost of widening would put one halfpenny on the rates and so the proposal was turned down! The matter was, however, soon raised again, under pressure from the Linlithgow side, and accordingly the bridge was widened to 27ft between the parapets in 1888 by the two counties jointly. The overhanging of the parapets on each side of the arch, supported on steel girders, rather spoilt the appearance of the bridge at close quarters, but from a more distant view the beautiful proportion of the arch could still be seen.
The traffic continued to increase considerably in volume and size but the 300 year old bridge continued in use until the 1950s. Latterly, when large lorries crossed the bridge the traffic flow was confined to a single direction. The Linlithgow to Falkirk road, sometimes known as the great North Road, was designated as the A9 and following the construction of the M9 motorway became the A803. The bridge and approaches were reconstructed in 1959 at a cost of £164,000.
The new bridge had been designed back in 1939 to remove a dangerous pinch point on the main road, but the war delayed implementation. After consultation with the Royal Fine Art Commission it had been decided to face the new structure with granite from Aberdeen and local sandstone. It was late 1958 before construction work began with F.A. Macdonald & Partners as the consulting engineers, and James Miller & Partners of Edinburgh as the main contractors. The bridge was constructed to the north of the old one and was placed on a skew in order to straighten the road.
The old bridge continued to be used during the construction work. Then, on 27 February 1959, a 30ft section of the abutment of the old bridge collapsed hurtling 600 tons of rubble into the river. The bridge had to be closed to traffic, which was diverted through Bo’ness and Grangemouth. The collapse was put down to the amount of heavy traffic that had passed over the bridge and the severe frosts, though no doubt vibration from the new work contributed. Workmen were immediately sent to carry out repairs and after tons of concrete had been poured into the breach, the bridge re-opened a week later with single line traffic controlled by traffic lights
Bibliography
NEWSPAPERS
- CM 25 August 1735, 4: The change-house at the east end of Linlithgow bridge now more frequented than formerly, since the roads were mended by General Wade…
- CM 20 October 1787, 1: Proposal to place the post-road between Carlowrie Bridge and Linlithgow bridge into the management of the trustees of the county of Linlithgow and to erect toll bars and levy tolls.
- CM 15 May 1790, 4: Act passed – . aforesaid Road, extending from Carlourie Bridge upon the water of Almond, to the Burgh of Linlithgow, and from thence to Linlithgow Bridge upon the water of Avon, and the bridges within the same ; and for putting in execution all the powers i:i and by this …
- CM 10 October 1811, 3: Linlithgow Turnpike Trustees… at this meeting, a proposal from the Trustees of Stirlingshire, for widening Linlithgow Bridge, will be laid before them.
- Morning Post 26 march 1847, 7: The town of Linlithgow enjoyed under several charters, confirmed by Acts of parliament, the right to take tolls on goods and carriages passing through the town. The town also enjoyed the right to take tolls on Linlithgow bridge. In the year 1838 an Act of parliament, the 1st and 2d Vict., c.38, was passed for making a railway between Edinburgh and Glasgow, to be called the Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway, which railway was to pass through Linlithgow, and to cross the river Avon between West Bridge and its mouth, by means of a viaduct or bridge above Linlithgow bridge. By the 237th section of the Railway Act it was enacted that “nothing in this Act should extend to take away a bridge, or diminish any rights, privileges, jurisdiction, or powers which at present belong to and are enjoyed, or which are claimed in virtue of Acts of parliament, royal charters, immemorial usage, or otherwise, by the magistrates and town council of the burgh, or by the magistrates, or by any of them, to demand, take, receive, or levy customs upon any cattle, carriages, goods, or any other thing whatsoever, passed, led down, or carried over the water of Avon Torphichen Mill, or along any other part of the said waters of Avon, by any for or bridge, or by any viaduct or other bridge that may be built or erected across the water of the Avon by the company.” The railway was opened in the month of February 1842. The provost, baillies, and council of the burgh claimed toll on goods carried through the town by the railway, and also certain bridge tolls in respect of goods carried over the viaduct, as if such a viaduct must be treated as the old town bridge for the purpose of these tolls. The directors of the railway insisted that no tolls were payable for the mere transport through the town of goods carried upon the railway, not for goods carried over the viaduct, which could not in any way whatever be treated as a town bridge. On both points the Lord Ordinary, Lord Wood, decided in favour of the magistrates of Linlithgow, and supported their claim of tolls. Appeal.
- Scottish Guardian 31 May 1849, 4: …respecting the pontage dues across the Avon, the learned counsel argued that not only was the grant of them obscure, but that, since the decision against the magistrates regarding the ford of Jinkabout, it was impossible to recognise their right to levy dues at any other passage than Linlithgow Bridge. This address having concluded the hearing, the Lord President called the attention of the Court to the terms of the…
- North British Daily Mail 15 March 1851, 8: …certain dues set down in a table of customs framed in the year 1699, part of which dues were described as burgh customs, upon all goods, cattle, & c, transported along or brought by the railway within the burgh of Linlithgow, to be used or sold within the burgh, or carried through the same’ and also to levy certain dues, described as bridge customs, on all goods carried across the Avon by the viaduct belonging to the company, along which the railway passes over the Avon, between the west bridge of Linlithgow and the mouth of that river. The pursuers in the court below, founded this fact upon what they denominated immemorial use and wont, and upon certain charters and acts of Parliament and the table of customs already alluded to. The first of these charters was that granted by King Robert II, dated October 23, 1389. Then there were acts of Parliament said to have been passed in 1594, and on May 20, 1661, and a further act dated June 6, 1685…
- In the year 1838, an act of Parliament was obtained for making a railway from Edinburgh to Glasgow, which line crosses the river Avon by means of a viaduct, at a place about 260 yards above Linlithgow Bridge. But it was denied that this viaduct was made at a place where no ford or other passage was previously known or possible…
- The burgh had insisted on clauses put into the act to preserve its bridge dues…
- “Provided always, and be it further enacted, that nothing in this act contained shall extend, or be construed to extend, to take away, abridge, or diminish ant rights, privileges, jurisdictions, or powers which at present belong to and are enjoyed, or which are claimed (in virtue of act of Parliament, Royal charters, immemorial usage, or otherwise) by the magistrates and Town Council of the Royal burgh of Linlithgow, or by the said Magistrates, or by any of them, to demand, take, receive, or levy customs upon any cattle, carriages, goods, or any other thing whatsoever, passing, led, driven, or carried over the water of Avon, by any ford or bridge, or by any viaduct or other bridges that may be built or erected across the said water of Avon by the said company; and if any act, matter, or thing, shall be done in virtue of this act whereby such customs shall be diminished, or shall act, matter, or thing, when done, shall have the effect to diminish the same, then the said Magistrates and Town Council shall and may receive such indemnification from the said company as shall and may be agreed upon between them; and, in case they cannot agree, as shall be settled by a jury, in the manner in which satisfaction is directed to be made by this act…”
- Dumfries & Galloway Standard 20 July 1859, 4: Dumfries and Ayr in a similar position to Linlithgow with respect to pontage dues and railways and so contributed to the costs of the legal case.
- Dumfries & Galloway Standard 3 August 1859, 1: House of Lords overturned previous court decisions.
- FH 12 April 1866, 3: The Council obtained a grant in 1662 authorising them to levy double custom both within the Burgh and at Linlithgow Bridge, for the space of nineteen years; and finally, in 1685, the Council being unable to keep the bridge in repair, they were, by consent of the King’s Commissioner, and the estate of the Scots Parliament, declared entitles, in all time coming, to levy custom “at all points of the River Avon, betwixt the west bridge and the mouth of Avon.” The value of these customs has considerably increased
- Scotsman 29 April 1958, 9: A mechanical digger clearing away a part of the bed of the River Avon at Linlithgow Bridge at the west end of Linlithgow, West Lothian. A new bridge will be built to bypass the bad corner at the present bridge (left) which carried the Edinburgh-Stirling and the North road.
- Scotsman 27 February 1959, 1: Shortly after workmen had left the spot a 30-foot section of the 150 year old Linlithgow Bridge collapsed yesterday, hurtling 600 tons of rubble into the River Avon valley. The bridge was closed to traffic, which had to be diverted from the main Edinburgh-Stirling road through Bo’ness and Grangemouth. The collapse of the retaining wall of the bridge occurred at about 3.30pm. Workmen of the firm of James Miller & Partners employed in the erection of the new reinforced concrete bridge had just left the area where the rubble fell.
- A official of the firm said he thought the collapse had taken place because of the amount of heavy traffic that had passed over the bridge recently and the severe frost. Workmen were immediately sent to carry out repairs and extra help was received from Edinburgh.
- Scotsman 2 March 1959, 5: BRIDGE OPEN AGAIN. The Linlithgow Bridge, which partially | collapsed last Thursday, will be open again to-day. Tons of concrete have been poured into the breach, which has been shored up. Single line traffic will operate, and will be controlled by traffic lights. The bridge is on the Edinburgh-Stirling trunk road.
- Scotsman 24 August 1959, 10: The main span of the new bridge is a normal barrel arch type of 110 feet clear span, with three approach spans of curved girder type. The only novel feature of the construction is the substation of cellular abutments for the usual mass concrete type in order to reduce the load transmitted to the foundations.
- This bridge is faced in masonry because this treatment was considered appropriate to its surroundings by the Royal Fine Art Commission when it was designed immediately prior to 1939. The masonry treatment is rather unusual as it combines granite and sandstone. The granite, from Aberdeen, harmonises very well indeed with the sandstone, the arch stones and facing to refuges being of granite, whilst the main part of the bridge approach walls and spandrels are in sandstone.
- It is likely that the total cost will be approximately £147,000. The contractors are James Miller & Partners Ltd, Edinburgh, and the work is being carried for the Roads Division of the Scottish Home Department.
- Scotsman 24 August 1959, 10: LINLITHGOW BRIDGE Consulting Engineers—F. A. MACDONALD & PARTNERS. MAIN CONTRACTORS JAMES MILLER & Partners Limited BUILDING & CIVIL ENGINEERING CONTRACTORS 18 GEORGE STREET, EDINBURGH
- Ballantine, W. 1998 ‘Reminiscences of road maintenance; 1880-1925,’ Calatria 12, 59-84.
- “Linlithgow Bridge carried the Edinburgh and Glasgow road over the River Avon at the boundary between Stirling and Linlithgow shires. It is mentioned as one of the Ancient Bridges in Scotland. The bridge was built in 1625 by one of the Earls of Linlithgow, who thereafter received a Royal Grant from Charles II, conferring on him the right to levy custom thereat for the space of 19 years, to compensate him for his outlay. Under minute of the Town Council of Linlithgow, it appears that the Royal Grant was acquired by the Council from the Earl of Linlithgow for the sum of £1621 Scots. An Act of Scots Parliament of date 16th June 1685 was passed “continuing and perpetuating the Royal Grant to the burgh, and in case there should be any surplus over and above that which is necessary for repairing and upholding of the said bridge, the same to be applied to any public use for the good and utility of the said town, the said Magistrates always holding and repairing the said bridge as it is at present for the use of the lieges”. After the adoption of the Roads and Bridges Act the two counties raised an action in the Court of Session to have it declared that the Burgh had no patrimonial interest in the pontages and customs that were levied at the bridge. The court decided that the Burgh had a patrimonial interest in the bridge, and refused interdict. For the loss of the pontages the Burgh claimed a sum of £3000. An appeal against the decision was lodged with the Second Division, but subsequent to the case being called meetings were held between the litigants, and the Town Council agreed, so as to prevent what might be a long and expensive litigation, to accept an amended offer of £900 with £50 in lieu of expenses, reserving their tacks man’s right to levy the bridge customs to the 15th May next, being the period for which the customs were let. The bridge consists of a beautiful semi-circular arch of 60 ft span. After 300 years’ service, the structure was still in fairly good order, but being only 14 ft wide between the parapets, it was considered necessary, in view of the increasing traffic on the main road, to have it widened. The widening was not done without grave doubts as to the necessity for it. At a meeting of the District Committee one member remarked that there was no traffic, as the mills were all on the other side. Another asked how they managed to do without it for the last hundred years. The Clerk stated that the cost of widening would put one halfpenny on the rates. And the proposal was actually turned down! The matter was, however, soon raised again, under pressure from the Linlithgow side, and accordingly the bridge was widened to 27 ft between the parapets, and otherwise improved in 1888 by the two counties jointly. The overhanging of the parapets on the arch rather spoilt the appearance of the bridge at close quarters, but from a more distant view the beautiful proportion of the arch can still be seen.”
Falkirk Local History Society 