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Buildings

Basic Site Details

Union Suspension Bridge
Paxton
Hutton
Berwickshire
Scotland
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 Classification

The building is classified under the following categories:

Class classic

ClassificationOriginal ClassificationNotes
BridgeNot Known

Events

The following date-based events are associated with this building:

event classic

Event TypeFromToNotes
18191820
Opened1820According to HS
Construction1834According to N.S.A
Alterations and additions19021903Strengthening of bridge

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.

design classic

PersonPartnership GroupRoleFromToNotes
John RennieBEngineer18191820Gave advice on bridge
(Captain Sir) Samuel Brown1820c1834
J A BeanCEngineer19021903Strengthening of bridge

Related Buildings, Structures and Designs

References

Bibliographic References

The following books contain references to this building:

bio ref classic

AuthorYearTitlePartPublisherNotes
Cruft, Kitty, Dunbar, John and Fawcett, Richard2006Borders (The Buildings of Scotland)New Haven and London: Yale University Pressp739

Archive References

The following archives hold material relating to this building:

arc ref classic

SourceNameCat NumberItem NameNotes
National Monuments Record of Scotland/NMRS, RCAHMSNMRS Architects Index
Historic Environment ScotlandListed Buildings Register13645