Unusual Curved Stones on Bridge Arch

Image: © Ian Dodds Taken: 6 Mar 2021

I assumed that this eye-catching design would have bestowed this bridge, which carries the Eastern approach road into Kirkliston over a former railway line, listed bridge status, but maybe this is actually a fairly common way of arranging the arch stones. This is a skewed arch bridge which means that the bridge crosses over whatever is underneath at an angle other than a right angle. When bridges were only constructed to cross water they were not really necessary, but the advent of the canal, and to a far greater extent, the railway, brought about something of a skewed arch heyday, as the design fairly quickly became perfected. All the ones I have come across have the abutments (the pillars that support the arch) still at a right angle to whatever they are crossing - I suppose, otherwise it wouldn't be skewed, just weird-looking! The old railway line is now a well-used footpath and cycle path.

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