Description

The monument consists of the remains of the medieval Old Bridge of Earn.

The monument lies immediately to the north of Bridge of Earn, with surviving components visible both in the River Earn and on its northern bank. Contemporary documents, including exchequer rolls, mention a bridge in 1329, 1402, 1409, and 1530 A.D. The grant of stone for the construction of a bridge is mentioned in a record dated 1329. The bridge is again mentioned in 1614 (NSA 1845) though it was ruinous in 1592 A.D (Inglis 1913). There were formerly five arches, but a sixth was built circa 1760 as a northward extension. By 1860 the bridge consisted of just two complete arches on the south bank and an abutment on the north bank of the river (Name Book 1860). The last two surviving arches of the Old Bridge of Earn were demolished in 1976; only an abutment and approach ramp survive on the N side. The ramp is flanked by low stone parapets 6.2m apart that on the E surviving for a distance of about 16m. A surviving length of the original approach road to the N side of the bridge survives as a grass-grown mound stretching from the N side of the bridge (NO 1330 1860) to a point close to a modern bend in the old Perth to Edinburgh road (NO 1323 1869).

An archaeological evaluation was carried out on the known site of the medieval bridge in advance of the construction of a flood prevention scheme. Trial trenches uncovered mortared masonry that may relate to the approach road to the bridge. Trenches located along the river bank failed to uncover any material due to the presence of a modern revetment consisting of wire cages filled with stones (Will 1999).

The proposed scheduled area comprises the remains described and an area around them within which related material may be expected to be found. It is irregular with maximum dimensions of 160m NNE-SSW by 50m WNW-ESE as marked in red on the accompanying map extract. The river bed within the defined area is also included in the schedule.

Source: Historic Environment Scotland

Sources

Bibliography
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Source: Historic Environment Scotland