Archaeology
on a Great Post Road, Angus Graham, PSAS, Vol. 96 (1962-63),
pps 318-47
This
paper examines the route/s taken by the road between
Berwick and Edinburgh since early mediaeval times. Although
it is very close to the line of the A1 (before recent
improvements) from Edinburgh to Cockburnspath, the route
south of here was by the A1107 as far as Huxton and
then by minor roads through Ayton to rejoin the A1 just
north of Berwick. The difficulties encountered by travellers
at Ayton and Cockburnspath are detailed, as are changes
made in the turnpike era. Interesting details of old
bridges on the route are provided, as well as details
of milestones.
The
Public Roads and Bridges in Dumfriesshire 1650 - 1820,
James Robertson, G.C. Book Publishers, Wigton, 1993
This
is a valuable resource as it makes the original text
of the Minutes of the Commissioners of Supply and other
records readily available to readers. After an introductory
overview of the history of early roads in Dumfriesshire,
extracts and summaries of the Minutes that deal with
roads and bridges, along with commentary, are given.
These allow a detailed insight into the development
of the road system in Dumfries-shire along with the
associated bridges. The book is illustrated with photos
of bridges and contains a county map of 1807 showing
all the main roads.
Development
of the Road System in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
1580-1890 Part I Anderson, A.D.,DGNHAS III 44 205
This
paper, and the one immediately below, form a comprehensive
study of the road system in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
In the first paper, the author looks first at the maps
of Timothy Pont which show bridges and placenames indicative
of a road or route. He then looks at various sources
including a petition of 1642 by Post Masters that outlines
the route to Portpatrick, Symson's Large Description
of Galloway, burgh and church records and the records
of the Commissioners of Supply to reconstruct the road
system in the 1600's and around 1750. The turnpike acts
and their associated roads are described up till 1890
when the County Council took over responsibility for
roads.
Development
of the Road System in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright.
1580-1890 Part II Anderson, A.D., DGNHAS III 45 211
In
the second paper, the author looks in detail at a number
of important historical routes. These are Dumfries to
Minigaff or Newton-Stewart; from Newton-Stewart to New-Galloway
and beyond (the Old Edinburgh Road); from Kirkcudbright
and Castle Douglas to Ayrshire; Kirkcudbright to Gatehouse;
and Kirkcudbright to Dumfries via Buittle or Dalbeattie.
Minutes of the Road Trustees of the
Stewartry of Kirkcudbright : A Classified Summary, compiled
by Alex. D Anderson.
Copies
deposited in the Archive Centre and Ewart Library, Dumfries
and in the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright.
Summary
of Items relating to Roads in the Minutes of the Commissioners
of Supply of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, compiled
by Alex. D Anderson
Copies
deposited in the Archive Centre and Ewart Library, Dumfries
and in the Stewartry Museum, Kirkcudbright.
New
Ways through the Glens, A.R.B. Haldane, Nelson, 1962
David
McClure, Tolls and Tacksmen, Ayrshire Monographs No.13,
AANHS, 1994
Wanlockhead
Roads - Minutes of Fourth (Upper Nithsdale) District
Turnpike Road Trustees 5/8/1789 to abolition of tolls,
Robertson, J., DGNHAS III 54 161
The
author discusses a number of items from the Minutes
including the siting of tollbars on the proposed turnpike
by Sanquhar and Muirkirk to Glasgow, exemption from
tolls for the Wanlockhead mines if they maintained a
road and difficulties tacksmen had in paying the rent
if toll income was low.
The Carlisle to Glasgow Road, Miller, N. and Miller
M., III 65 100
The
authors detail the history of this road under the turnpike
trusts. As an important national route £50,000
was made available under the Highland Roads and Bridges
Commission for improvements and repairs. Telford was
the engineer.
He
rerouted the old road away from Longtown and built the
"Metal Bridge" making for a shorter route.
The turnpikes retained some sections and the rest was
repaired by the Commissioners, who for administrative
purposes had control of the whole road. Details of toll
houses are provided.
Improvement to the Glasgow-Carlisle
Road. 1815, Miller, N. and Miller M., III 67 67
Details
are given of the design and construction of the bridge
by Thomas Telford which had been built as an essential
improvement to the Glasgow to Carlisle turnpike.
The
bridge was opened in 1819 and closed in 1911 because
of extensive corrosion. It was replaced by a reinforced
concrete bridge in 1916.
Interesting
details are given of difficulties with the Royal Mail,
a dispute with a local landowner and severe flood damage.
The
construction of Aberdeenshire's first turnpike roads,
Thomas Day, Journal of Transport History, Sep 2003
(article
page numbers are at foot of web page)
Roads
and bridges in the Scottish Highlands: the route between
Dunkeld and Inverness, 1725 -1925, G R Curtis, PSAS,
Vol 110, (1978-80), pps 475-96
This
paper examines the roads and bridges constructed in
the Highlands by the Military authorities (the Wade
and Caulfield roads), the Parliamentary Commission for
Highland Roads and Bridges, and the Ministry of Transport
in its early days. Details of how the roads were constructed
in each period are given based on excavations undertaken
prior to the A9 Trunk Road reconstruction, as well as
descriptions of bridges in each period.
The
Life of Thomas Telford by Samuel Smiles, London, 1867
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