Basic Site Details

Name: North Bridge
City or county: Edinburgh
Country: Scotland
Parish:  
Status:  
Grid ref:
Notes: J N Scott and J A Williamson placed first in the 1896 competition, but were not commissioned. Afred Waterhouse was the assessor. Cost of work at this time: £172,862.

Mylne's design was run-of-the-mill but he was able (unlike his competitor David Henderson) to find security to execute the design and contracted to build it for £10,140. In 1769 when the bridge was nearly finished, the southern abutment collapsed burying five people alive.

Building Type Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:
 ClassificationOriginal classification?Notes
Item 1 of 1Bridge  

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:
 FromToEvent typeNotes
Item 1 of 91763 Plans drawn upScheme drawn up
Item 2 of 9October 1763 Foundation stoneStone laid but building did not commence for another two years.
Item 3 of 91765 Competition designs submittedFor design of bridge
Item 4 of 91769 Completion 
Item 5 of 91870  Scheme for improvement
Item 6 of 918941897  
Item 7 of 91894  Initial proposals for reconstruction North Bridge, 'ornate'design for hotel at SE end and widening of bridge proposed
Item 8 of 91896  Competition held for buildings flanking approach
Item 9 of 91897 Design exhibitedCompetition design ( Marshall & Bradley)

People

Design and Construction

The 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.
 NameRolePartnership GroupFromToNotes
Item 1 of 25James Craig H1763 Scheme submitted - under direction of George Frazer. Scheme engraved subsequently.
Item 2 of 25George Frazer I1763 Gave guidance to Craig on his scheme?
Item 3 of 25William Mylne X1765 Won commission.
Item 4 of 25David Henderson Z1765 Was awarded a prize for the best design but was passed over in favour of William Mylne as he could not get tradesman to build it within estimated budget.
Item 5 of 25James Gowans  1870 Scheme for improvement of original bridge
Item 6 of 25D & T Stevenson A1873 Original bridge widened (subsequently replaced with new bridge following 1896 competition)
Item 7 of 25David Stevenson A1873 Original bridge widened (subsequently replaced with new bridge following 1896 competition)
Item 8 of 25Thomas Stevenson A1873 Original bridge widened (subsequently replaced with new bridge following 1896 competition)
Item 9 of 25Cousin & Ormiston B1894 Provided estimated costs of widening the bridge
Item 10 of 25William Ormiston B1894 Provided estimated costs of widening the bridge
Item 11 of 25Benjamin Hall Blyth II C18941897 
Item 12 of 25Blyth & Westland C18941897 
Item 13 of 25David Monro Westland C18941897 
Item 14 of 25James Simpson Pirie C18941897 
Item 15 of 25Robert Morham C18941897Designed architectural details for Blyth & Westland bridge
Item 16 of 25Edwin Alfred Rickards D1896 Competition design - placed third for buildings flanking approach (£100 premium)
Item 17 of 25Henry Vaughan Lanchester D1896 Competition design - placed third for buildings flanking approach (£100 premium)
Item 18 of 25James S Stewart D1896 Competition design - placed third for buildings flanking approach (£100 premium)
Item 19 of 25Lanchester, Stewart & Rickards D1896 Competition design - placed third for buildings flanking approach (£100 premium)
Item 20 of 25James Anderson Williamson E1896 In informal partnership with John Nicol Scott - competition design - first premium of £250 awarded (did not gain the commission)
Item 21 of 25John Nichol Scott E1896 In informal partnership with James Anderson Williamson - competition design - first premium of £250 awarded (did not gain the commission)
Item 22 of 25Gibson & Russell G1896 Competition design - placed second for buildings flanking approach (£150 premium)
Item 23 of 25James Glen Sivewright Gibson G1896 Competition design - placed second for buildings flanking approach (£150 premium)
Item 24 of 25Samuel Bridgman Russell G1896 Competition design - placed second for buildings flanking approach (£150 premium)
Item 25 of 25Marshall & Bradley F1897 Competition design

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:
 Author(s)DateTitlePartPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 7Academy Architecture1896 part 2 p96 Gibson & Russell design & p97 Scott & Williamson design
Item 2 of 7Colvin, Howard2008A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840 London: YUP. 4th edition 
Item 3 of 7Gifford, John, McWilliam, Colin and Walker, David M1984Edinburgh (The Buildings of Scotland) Harmondsworth: Penguin Books Ltdp284-5
Item 4 of 7Glendinning, M, MacInnes, R and MacKechnie, A1996A History of Scottish Architecture   
Item 5 of 7Harper, Roger H1983Victorian Architectural Competitions: An Index to British and Irish Architectural Competitions… London: Mansell Publishing 
Item 6 of 7RSA1870   28
Item 7 of 7RSA1897   520

Periodical References

The following periodicals contain references to this building:
 Periodical NameDateEditionPublisherNotes
Item 1 of 4BuilderLate 1896LXXI p232
Item 2 of 4BuilderEarly 1897LXXII p199
Item 3 of 4Scots Magazine176325 pp361-2
Item 4 of 4Scotsman26 January 1894   

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:
 SourceArchive nameSource catalogue no.Notes
Item 1 of 1Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register30035