Amulree Bridge

The bridge is an early 18th century military bridge crossing the River Braan. It has two main arches spanning the Brann with an additional flood relief arch to the south. The bridge is located immediately west of the A822 road which it once carried until a replacement road bridge was constructed in 2010. It is constructed in rubble masonry with roughly worked voussoirs forming the arches. The two main arches meet in the middle of the river with and have pointed cutwaters. The level carriageway is surfaced with parapets surviving on either side of the carriageway. The rubble parapets have sections of concrete replacement and repair. There are other repairs in concrete including to the northern main arch and flood relief arch. The bridge has rubble masonry and concrete buttresses on its west site.

Historical Development

There was an estimated total of 1700km of military road built in Scotland (approximately 400km by General Wade and 1300km by Major Caulfeild) between the early 1720s and the late 1750s.

The first programmes of work started in 1725 Under Wade's command, Repairs were made to various fortifications including Edinburgh Castle and at Fort William and new forts were built at Inverness (Fort George) and Killihuimen (Fort Augustus). Road communications and connections were improved between the garrisons at Fort William, Fort Augustus and Fort George. The roads programme then focused on expanding the network between Dunkeld and Inverness (later known as 'The Great North Road') with branches connecting Crieff to the Great North Road at Dalnacardoch (later known as 'The Second Great North Road') and Fort Augustus to the Great North Road at Dalwhinnie. The second major programme of works was overseen by Wade's successor, Major William Caulfeild, with branches constructed, from 1741 onwards, between: Crieff and Stirling, an incomplete build between Dumbarton and Inverary, Stirling to Fort William, Coupar Angus to Fort George, and Amulree to Dunkeld.

This bridge relates to the Creiff to Aberfeldy section of road. It was likely constructed between 1725 and 1740. The bridge is likely to have had phases of alteration, the small flood arch might be later than the two arched bridge. The bridge may have been historically widened and parapets added. It is likely to have ceased to have been used as bridge when the more recent bridge on the A822 was constructed to the east of Amulree.