Description

Loch Lomond And Trossachs National Park Planning Authority

Circa 1798. Single round-arched bridge with narrow arch set between broad, slightly battered abutments; string course at base of parapet. The ends of the parapet curve down to the ground. A good and unaltered example of a late 18th century road bridge, built as part of the improvements to the Military Road from Stirling to Fort William and therefore of considerable historical importance.

Materials: squared, coursed masonry.

Statement of Interest

One of five similar bridges on the A85 through Glen Ogle. This bridge is the fourth after Lochearnhead, or the second after the parish boundary.

The road through Glen Ogle was built as a part of a military road from Stirling to Fort William by General Caulfield in 1750-52, although Glen Ogle was almost certainly a drove route prior to then. The road through Glen Ogle seems to have been constructed hastily along the bottom of the valley, crossing the Ogle Burn several times (see General Roy's map of c.1750), and was never considered to be very satisfactory as it is too low and boggy in places. At some point in the late 18th or early 19th century, the line of the road was re-drawn to the present position. This bridge and 4 other similar ones were constructed as part of this scheme. The Old Statistical Account mentions that a new line for the Stirling to Fort William Road was approved in 1793 and this probably (but not certainly) refers to the Glen Ogle Section. The sixth report of the Highland Roads and Bridges (1798) also mentions proposals for work on this stretch of road, so work may have been delayed until then.

The old military road still survives (in parts), and is used as a footpath. Four 18th century rubble-built bridges on this old road survive and are listed separately.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q56615082

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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