Superintendent's House, Bridge Of Sighs, Cathedral Square, Glasgow

This ensemble comprises a bridge, gates, gatepiers, a gatehouse, and a superintendent’s house, all designed by David and James Hamilton, with later additions. The structures date from 1833 to 1890 and form a grand processional route from Cathedral Square across the Bridge of Sighs to a monumental screen wall at the Necropolis.

The Bridge of Sighs, built in 1833 by James Hamilton, is a single-span, semi-circular masonry arch bridge, approximately 60 feet across, and now spans Wishart Road. Smaller, asymmetrical arches provide pedestrian access. The bridge features droved ashlar soffits and spandrels, polished voussoirs, an ogee-moulded arch ring, a rebuilt and stepped parapet, and a setted roadway. Substantial abutments and flanks support the structure.

The gatepiers, designed by David Hamilton in 1838 and with ironwork by T Edington, stand prominently to Cathedral Square. These are substantial, square-plan, polished ashlar piers with chamfered arrises. Brackets support a corniced cope, which also bears a pair of cast-iron lamp brackets. Elaborate iron gates, constructed of cast panels riveted to a wrought-iron frame, are positioned between the gatepiers. The central feature displays a coat of arms and the inscription "WILLIAM BROWN OF KILMADINNY, DEAN OF GUILD, MDCCCXXXVIII."

The gatehouse, also designed by David Hamilton in 1839-40, is a small, square-plan structure with a taller tower projecting from the southeast angle. It is built of droved ashlar with a polished basecourse. A round-arched, recessed doorway, framed by masonry with a bracketted lintel, features a roll-moulded archivolt, fanlight, and double-leaf doors. Other windows are similarly detailed, round-arched, though now mostly blocked. The tower has square-headed, recessed hoodmoulded windows; some retain sash and case windows with four-lying-pane glazing. A foliate frieze runs along the eaves, surmounted by a deep, plain corniced parapet.

The superintendent’s house is a two-storey and attic building in a Tudor Gothic style. The north elevation presents a single-storey facade due to the sloping site, exhibiting a symmetrical entrance frontage. It is constructed of stugged ashlar with polished, painted Gothic openings. Steps lead to a central, hoodmoulded doorpiece, featuring an architraved door with a shouldered fanlight. Windows on the north elevation are single-light with architraves and shouldered lintels, incorporating sash and case windows with four-pane glazing. A moulded eaves cornice runs along the top. Two piended dormers are present, along with end skews and chimney stacks topped with tall diamond cans, arranged singly or in groups. Slate roofs cover the structure. The other elevations are asymmetrical, featuring a variety of window types, all sash and case, with some four-pane and some single-light glazing. A projecting oriel window, dated 1890, is located on the west elevation. The east elevation is double-gabled, with a projecting canted window with a lead roof to the right and a hoodmoulded bipartite window to the ground floor and a single light above to the left. A two-window projection breaks through the eaves at first floor level in a large box dormer on the rear (south) elevation. A single-storey projecting range with tall diamond cans and slate roofs is also present on the rear elevation.