Bridge of Don is a five-arch bridge of granite, built between 1827 and 1830, crossing the River Don just above its mouth in Aberdeen, Scotland.
In 1605 Alexander Hay executed a Charter of Mortification for the maintenance of the 13th century Brig o' Balgownie further upstream, which later became the Bridge of Don Fund, which financed several bridges in the north-east of Scotland.[1][2] This fund having accumulated a value of over £20,000, the patrons of the fund, the town council, sought an Act of Parliament to permit construction of a new bridge in 1825.[3]
The original design by John Gibb and John Smith was modified by Thomas Telford, and construction work started in 1827.[4] Problems with the foundations meant it had to be partly taken down and have additional piles sunk.[4] It was opened free to the public with no toll in 1830 and later gave its name to the suburb of the city on the north bank.[3][4][5]
It was listed as a Category B listed building in 1967.[4][6]
The bridge has five spans of dressed granite, and rounded cutwaters that carry up to road level to form pedestrian refuges.[4] The spans are 75 feet (23 m), with a rise of 25 feet (7.6 m).[4]
It was widened in 1958-59, from 24 feet (7.3 m), to 66 feet (20 m) by the construction of a new concrete bridge adjacent to the old one.[4][7]
It now carries four lanes of the A956 road, and is the last bridge on the River Don before it meets the North Sea.[4][8] The bridge is just downstream from a substantial island in the river.[8] Around the area of the bridge is the Donmouth Local Nature Reserve, designated as a LNR in 1992.[9] Near to the bridge are a number of World War II era coastal defences, including a pill box.[10]
