Basic Site Details Name: | Union Suspension Bridge | Town, district or village: | Paxton | City or county: | Berwickshire | Country: | Scotland | Parish: | Hutton | Status: | | Grid ref: | | Notes: | Built by Captian S Brown as a tension bridge.
Captain Samuel Brown, Royal Navy, with advice from John Rennie, 1819-20; improved and strengthened by J A Bean for Tweed Bridge Trustees, 1902-3. Timber carriageway spanning River Tweed suspended from 3 pairs of swept, wrought iron chains of elongated eye bar links. Wrought iron bolt brackets link iron rod suspenders; upper wire cables. Iron railings threaded around suspenders enclosing sides. Channelled pink sandstone, tapering rectangular-plan pylon to W (Scottish) side with keystoned, round-arched opening at centre; mutuled cornice; tall parapet with carved roses and thistles surmounting central block inscribed 'VIS UNITA FORTIOR 1820' to E. Channelled pink sandstone, tapering pylon set into rock face to E (English) side with blocked, pilastered doorway centred at ground framing memorial plaque; mutuled cornice; tall parapet with carved roses and thistles surmounting central block also inscribed 'VIS UNITA FORTIOR 1820'. Rectangular-plan, pink sandstone piers flanking carriageway to W with rubble-coped rubble walls linking pylon to E. Pyramidal-capped, square-plan, pink sandstone piers flanking carriageway to W of E pylon; rubble-coped rubble walls to E.
Thomson's Map, 1821 (Evident - Marked 'Union Bridge'). Sharp, Greenwood & Fowler's Map, 1826 (Evident - Marked 'Chain Bridge'). Ordnance Survey (1857) 25 Inch to the Mile: Ordnance Survey, London. New Statistical Account of Scotland (Completed 1834, Published 1845) pp161-162. Groome F. H. (1883) Ordnance Gazetteer, p281. Lady Furness (1971) 'Netherbyres' Proceedings Of The Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Vol XXXIX, pp14-15. Hume J.R. (1976) The Industrial Archaeology Of Scotland, Vol 1 pp82-83. `Captain Sir Samuel Brown Of Netherbyres¿ (1986) Proceedings Of The Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, Vol XLIII, pp73-79. NMRS Photographic Records. Cruft K, Dunbar J, Fawcett R (2006) The Buildings Of Scotland ¿ Borders. Yale University Press: London, p739 | Building Type ClassificationThe building is classified under the following categories: | | Classification | Original classification? | Notes | | Bridge | | |
EventsThe following date-based events are associated with this building: | | From | To | Event type | Notes | | 1819 | 1820 | | | | 1820 | | Opened | According to HS | | 1834 | | Construction | According to N.S.A | | 1902 | 1903 | Alterations and additions | Strengthening of bridge |
PeopleDesign and ConstructionThe following individuals or organisations have carried out design/construction work. Where architects or practices worked together, matching letters appear beside their names in the Partnership Group column. | | Name | Role | Partnership Group | From | To | Notes | | John Rennie | | B | 1819 | 1820 | Gave advice on bridge | | (Captain Sir) Samuel Brown | | | c. 1820 | 1834(?) | | | J A Bean | | C | 1902 | 1903 | Strengthening of bridge |
ReferencesBibliographic ReferencesThe following books contain references to this building: | | Author(s) | Date | Title | Part | Publisher | Notes | | Cruft, Kitty, Dunbar, John and Fawcett, Richard | 2006 | Borders (The Buildings of Scotland) | | New Haven and London: Yale University Press | p739 |
Archive ReferencesThe following archives hold material relating to this building: | | Source | Archive name | Source catalogue no. | Notes | | Historic Environment Scotland | Listed Buildings Register | 13645 | | | National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMS | NMRS Architects Index | | |
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