Old Bridge of Dee


(Bridge of Dee, Grainyford Bridge)

An historic narrow four-span stone bridge over the River Dee in Dumfries and Galloway, the Bridge of Dee (or Old Bridge of Dee, occasionally the Grainyford Bridge) crosses the river next to a small village of the same name. Built 1737-40, it replaced the Grainy Ford, situated a quarter-mile (0.4 km) downstream. At 57m (186 feet) in length, and with four equal masonry arches supported by massive piers with triangular cutwaters, this was one of the most substantial bridges in Galloway at the time of its construction. However the narrow carriageway (only 3.35m / 11 feet) gives no room for pavements and there are no refuges to allow pedestrian to move out of the path of traffic.

The bridge was later used by Major William Caulfeild (1698 - 1767) on the route of his military road from Carlisle to Portpatrick and was replaced in 1825 by the Threave Bridge, a quarter-mile (0.5 km) to the northeast, which still carries the main road today. The Old Bridge of Dee has been A-listed since 1971.


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