Eglinton Tournament Bridge
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The Eglinton Tournament Bridge is a
bridge A bridge is a structure built to Span (engineering), span a physical obstacle (such as a body of water, valley, road, or railway) without blocking the path underneath. It is constructed for the purpose of providing passage over the obstacle, whi ...
located within Eglinton Country Park near
Kilwinning Kilwinning (, ; ) is a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located on the banks of the River Garnock in Ayrshire, west/central Scotland, about southwest of Glasgow. Kilwinning's neighbours are the coastal towns of Stevenston to the west an ...
,
North Ayrshire North Ayrshire (, ) is one of 32 Council areas of Scotland, council areas in Scotland. The council area borders Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire and East Renfrewshire to the northeast, and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the east and s ...
,
Scotland Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
. The bridge crosses the Lugton Water a short distance northwest of Eglinton Castle () and was named after the Eglinton Tournament of 1839. The castle and surrounding grounds were once home to the Montgomerie family, Earls of Eglinton and chiefs of the Clan Montgomery.


History


The Tournament Bridges

The surviving 'Tournament Bridge' was built to provide an appropriate crossing point to gain access to the far side of the Lugton Water and the Eglinton Kennels, circa 1845. Archibald Montgomerie, the 13th
Earl of Eglinton Earl of Eglinton is a title in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created by James IV of Scotland in 1507 for Hugh Montgomerie, 3rd Lord Montgomerie. In 1859, the thirteenth Earl of Eglinton, Archibald Montgomerie, was also created Earl of Winto ...
had the bridge built in a Gothic style, using cast iron for the arches, pinnacles, etc. and stone for the two pairs of miniature ornamental towers at either end. These towers have subtle design differences (see photographs) which are significant in the context of the extended history of the bridge. This 'Tournament' bridge is said to have been designed by the architect David Hamilton; agreement to build the original three arched bridge was reached on 16 October 1799 by the 12th Earl of Eglinton and Hamilton's first recorded work dates from 1807. An Adam Russell is recorded as being partner to the agreement.National Archives of Scotland. GD3/2/170. The first bridge is described by Aiton in 1811 as "a bridge of three arches, the piers of stone, and the arches of cast-iron, of the most elegant device, imitating the gothic style of the castle, with the family arms in the centre, now building about 100 yards below the castle, where the river is 102 feet broad". The bridge's cast-iron
parapet A parapet is a barrier that is an upward extension of a wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/brea ...
is a repetition of the pointed Gothic arch design of the castle, surmounted by a battlement, and relieved in the centre with foliated
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was main ...
s.Millar, A. H. (1885). ''The Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire.'' Reprinted by The Grimsay Press (2004). . P. 74. The Tournament Bridge is B listed by
Historic Scotland Historic Scotland () was an executive agency of the Scottish Government, executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage and promoting its und ...
.Historic gardens
/ref> The 1839 Eglinton Tournament was held on a meadow or holm at a loop in the Lugton Water. Most of the holm no longer exists, the excavations in this area having provided gravel and sand for the construction of the Kilwinning bypass and leaving behind an excavation pit which is now known as Eglinton Loch. The Knights on horseback and their retinue reached the tilt yard ('C' on the map) via an enclosed ride ('G' on the map), whilst the guests and visitors made their way to the stands via the route marked 'F' on the map illustrated. Both groups crossed over the previous three arched Gothic bridge. A map of 1837 of ''Eglinton Castle, Grounds and Tilt yard'' of 1837 shows that the tilt yard was already in existence at this early date, but it is not recorded what its fate was after the tournament was over.Anstruther, Ian (1986). ''The Knight and the Umbrella. An Account of the Eglinton Tournament 1839''. Pub. Alan Sutton. Gloucester. . P. III. The 'new' Tournament Bridge served as a well used route across the Lugton Water, running through the Deer Park to Eglinton kennels (previously known as Laigh Moncur), especially on days when the Eglinton Hunt met at the castle itself. It was built by Messrs Connell of Dalgarven, using parts of the original bridge and possibly to a design by David Hamilton.Ness, J. A. (1968). Eglinton Tournament 1839. Privately produced. p. 15. Messrs. Connell also built the new Kilwinning Tower to a design by David Hamilton. The original bridge, also with four pairs of miniature towers, but with three arches and four pinnacles, stood roughly 100 yards further up the river towards the castle; estate records show that it was built between 1802 and 1806 The original bridge is shown in several contemporary prints and maps as illustrated in the appropriate gallery of this article; the earliest is in William Aiton's book as published in 1811.Scottish National Archive. RHP 2027.Aitken, Robert (1829). ''The Parish Atlas of Ayrshire – Cunninghame.'' Pub. W. Ballantine. Edinburgh. It was this bridge that was used at the Eglinton Tournament as can be seen from the illustrations of the event, however the name was passed on to the 'new' bridge constructed downstream of it. No clear sign of this three arched bridge remains, a weir having been built at its old position; the 'old' bridge was constructed in 1811 according to Close.,Close, Rob (1992), ''Ayrshire Buildings.'' Royal Incorporated Architects of Scotland. . P. 64.Ayrshire Roots
/ref> therefore around the time of the 'new' castle being built in 1801/2 and also when the grounds were being laid out by Tweedie. Surviving architects drawings show the designs for a three arched bridge and as stated, contemporary prints of the Eglinton Tournament also show a three arched Tournament bridge, with cast-iron arches, pinnacles and parapets which may have been re-used in the later 'new' bridge which survives today. David Hamilton is recorded on the 1811 engraving as being the architect. A splendid archway was planned to be built for the tournament at the bridge, however this not recorded in the engravings. The point at which the 'old' bridge crossed the Lugton was 102 feet broad and 100 yards downriver from the castle.Aiton, William (1811). Extract from the General View of the Agriculture of Ayr. It had the Montgomerie coat of arms in the centre. Aiton describes it as being under construction in 1811. The miniature castle towers on the demolished bridge are shown as each being surmounted by a double cross, but these do not figure on the 'new' Tournament Bridge; the 'old' bridge therefore may have been specially embellished for the tournament with temporary additions. A local minister, the Rev. Lee Ker, confirms which bridge was used at the tournament by relating in his book on
Kilwinning Kilwinning (, ; ) is a town in North Ayrshire, Scotland. It is located on the banks of the River Garnock in Ayrshire, west/central Scotland, about southwest of Glasgow. Kilwinning's neighbours are the coastal towns of Stevenston to the west an ...
that the tournament procession passed over the Water of Lugton by "what is now called the Tournament Bridge, but which was then situated about 100 yards nearer the Castle and had three arches instead of two".Ker, Rev William Lee (1900). ''Kilwinning'' Pub. A. W. Cross, Kilwinning. P. 326. This distance coincides with a weir today and an old path from the castle leads directly to it. Dane Love states that the bridge used by the tournament had been built by the 12th Earl in 1811.Love, Dane (2003). ''Ayrshire: Discovering a County.'' Pub. Fort. Ayr. . P. 54. In contemporary reports of the tournament no special mention of the bridge is made, suggesting that it was already a well established feature of the estate by that time and not an extravagant new feature specially built for the event. LauchlanLauchlan, Roy (1989). ''Questions & Answers about the Montgomerie Family and the 1839 Tournaments'', Pub. Kilwinning & District Preservation Society. P. 12. confuses the issue by stating that an older bridge with three arches existed 100 yards up from the present one, however he states that the present bridge was built for the tournament. The old three arched bridge in fact still existed in 1840Leighton, John M. (1850).''Strath Clutha or the Beauties of the Clyde.'' Pub. Joseph Swan Engraver. Glasgow. Facing P. 229. and at least as late as 1843.''The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843): a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire.'' Pub. H. Crawford & Son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page.The Inquirer (1969). Journal of the Abbey Soc of Kilwinning. V.1, No.5. The Eglinton Bridge had what was probably light with oil lamps as can be seen in the 1811 engraving and the twin towers at either end were both joined by masonry work and not by cast-iron work as in the present day two arched bridge. The Gothic embellishments on the engravings of the 1839 Tournament show that the oil lamps were removed for the event.


Construction of the 'new' Tournament Bridge

The new bridge may have been erected by the 13th Earl at some time between 1843 and 1856 as part of the total re-modelling of the course of the Lugton Water which had been first undertaken by the 12th Earl (1740–1819)''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. p. 27. and which included the alteration of its course, the removal of the lakes or ponds and the creation of several weirs. The Lugton Water is liable to severe floodsThe Eglinton Archive. and damage to the easily broken cast-iron work by the force of the current, may have been a reason for its reconstruction at a different site; a severe 'Great Storm' in Ayrshire is recorded as having damaged or destroyed several buildings and structures in February 1856.Mackay, James (1996), ''William Wallace : Brave Heart''. Pub. Edinburgh & London : Mainstream. . p. 14. The first
Ordnance Survey The Ordnance Survey (OS) is the national mapping agency for Great Britain. The agency's name indicates its original military purpose (see Artillery, ordnance and surveying), which was to map Scotland in the wake of the Jacobite rising of ...
map of 1856 shows the two arched bridge in position, a weir at the position of the old bridge and by this time the old lake had gone, replaced by a canalised Lugton Water with several weirs. Ironically the strengthening work done on the 'new' bridge to create an extra arch of bricks in addition to the cast iron, may have weakened the structure, contributing to its eventual partial collapse. The army used the bridge extensively with large lorries and even tanks crossing over it. The lower courses of ashlar– Ashlar
/ref> on the bridge abutments and central pier were vermiculate.– Vermiculate stonework
/ref> At some point the height of the weir beneath had been raised using an odd assortment of re-used stonework; this would have increased the depth and extent of the waters behind it. The central pier and the original weir had used reworked but re-cycled stone, probably from Kilwinning Abbey; as illustrated by a stone window surround recovered during restoration work (See illustration). Examination of the top of the outer towers shows that something was attached to the centres, the 'plug' hole still being present. It is possible that the holes are related to the method of lifting them into position during construction work. The larger towers are capped with cement and nothing is therefore visible. During restoration work (2008) electricity power cables or possibly gas pipes were located leading to the bridge and they may have served some form of lighting on the bridge. These are not visible in the available illustrations. The Eglinton estate had its own gasworks and later its own power station, so it would have been natural to provide lighting on the bridge. The old OS maps show that by 1897 the gas works had been established here to supply the castle and offices, whilst by 1911 this had been replaced by an electricity works; the present day park workshop. The larger and taller inner towers have been re-used from the older bridge, this being confirmed by the presence of ornate carving as infill within one of the larger towers. The curtain walls and the smaller and lower outer towers are made from a different type of stone and, as stated, the towers have a number of architectural differences, suggesting that they were made specifically for the 'new' Tournament Bridge (See photographs). During work on the central pier it was found that some of the hidden infill work is vermiculate ashlar from the 'old' bridge. The cast-iron sections of the arches are numbered and some of the sequence are absent, suggesting that these missing sections may have been damaged previously beyond repair and were not used therefore in the 'new' bridge.


Previous Eglinton bridges that crossed the Lugton Water

File:Eglinton Castle Bridge in 1811.jpg, Eglinton Castle bridge in 1811 File:Eglinton Castle and grouinds circa 1811.jpg, A view of the castle and a wooden footbridge in 1815 Image:Eglinton Castle Bridge of 1815.jpg, Details of the wooden bridge Image:Eglinton Castle, Irvine, circa 1840.jpg, The castle and bridge in 1815. Three arches and a lake are depicted. Image:Eglinton tournament bridge in 1843.jpg, Eglinton Castle & Bridge. This again shows the original three arched bridge, lake, etc. Circa 1843.''The Ayrshire Wreath MDCCCXLIII (1843):a collection of original pieces, in prose and verse, chiefly by native authors, on subjects relating to Ayrshire.'' Pub. H. Crawford & son. Kilmarnock. Facing Title page File:Eglington1.JPG, The old three arched bridge in 1865


Views of the 'new' c1845 Tournament Bridge

File:Eglintoncastle1876.jpg, Tournament Bridge and castle in 1876Dobie, James (1876). ''Pont's Cuninghame'' Pub. John Tweed. File:1960 Eglinton Tournament Bridge.jpg, The bridge at its lowest ebb File:Tournament bridge Eglinton 2.jpg, The Tournament Bridge in the 1960s Image:Restored Tournament Bridge 1980.jpg, The Tournament bridge as restored in the 1980s Image:Tournament bridge in flood conditions.jpg, Lugton Water flood conditions Image:Eglintontournamentbridge.JPG, The Tournament Bridge over the Lugton Water in 2007 Image:Tournamentbridge2.JPG, The approach to the Tournament Bridge from the stables in 2007 Image:Large Tournament bridge tower.JPG, One of the large bridge towers, probably recycled from the 1811 bridge Image:Small tournament bridge tower.JPG, One of the smaller towers with subtle design and carving differences suggesting a later date of construction Image:Vermiculate ashlar stonework Tournament Brdige.JPG, Vermiculate ashlar stonework on the abutment of the bridge at water level Image:Recycled stone Tournament Bridge.JPG, A reworked stone window ledge, possibly from Kilwinning Abbey, used in the weir at the central pier Image:Eglinton Tournament Bridge construction details.jpg, Details of how one of the recycled towers has been incorporated into the new design Image:Hydrodemolition damage.JPG, Hydrodemolition damage to the central pier Image:Recycled bridge stone.JPG, Recycled stones built into the weir beneath the bridge. One has the remains of two
corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal keyed into and projecting from a wall to carry a wikt:superincumbent, bearing weight, a type of bracket (architecture), bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in t ...
s and may well have come from the pre-1802 medieval castle. Image:Tournament Bridge piers.JPG, A cut-water, probably from the 'old bridge' as it does not 'fit' and it was apparently abandoned near the 'new bridge' Image:Tournament Bridge old tower section.JPG, A section of an 'old' bridge tower used in the weir Image:Tournament Bridge weir.JPG, The weir made from sections of the old large 'towers'


The Tournament Bridge and WWII

The Eglinton Castle Estate was requisitioned during
World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
and during this occupation the Tournament Bridge partly collapsed, partly due to alterations which had been made earlier by the Eglinton Estate, involving supposed strengthening using brickwork, as revealed during the 2008 restoration work. The old bridge partly collapsed in early 1936, the cast-iron fascias and central pinnacles falling outwards. To save the bridge from total collapse the 103rd (Glasgow) Company
Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...
, who were encamped on the Irvine Moor,Eglinton Archive, Eglinton Country Park removed the cast-iron outer fascia coverings and the pinnacles, encasing the remaining cast-iron arches in concrete as can be seen from contemporary photographs and as further revealed during restoration work. It is not known what happened to the pinnacles and cast-iron coverings. It had been thought that they were safely in storage, however enquiries have led to nothing. The soldiers in 1936 were at their annual camp and the repair section were commanded by Lieut R. J. P. Cowan and Sergeant David Borland.


Repair work

File:Tournament bridge one.jpg, A view across the damaged bridge Image:Tournament Bridge collapse, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire.jpg, A view showing the partial collapse of the bridge File:Tournament bridge Eglinton collapse 2.jpg, The bridge with temporary supports Image:Tournament Bridge, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire in the 1930s.jpg, Repair work underway, showing the shuttering for the concrete Image:Tournament Bridge repaired, Eglinton, Ayrshire.jpg, The repaired bridge. Note the simple wooden handrail and the remaining exposed iron arch. Image:Tournament Bridge repaired, Eglinton Estate, Ayrshire.jpg, A view of the whole of the repaired bridge. Note the army personnel, children fishing, etc.


Other estate bridges

Originally the river would have been crossed by simple fords, however by the 18th century ornamental pleasure gardens had been formed and these were partly situated in what later became the deer park. No signs of these gardens are now visible, apart from
Crop marks Cropmarks or crop marks are a means through which sub-surface archaeological, natural and recent features may be visible from the air or a vantage point on higher ground or a temporary platform. Such marks, along with parch marks, soil marks a ...
on aerial photographs taken around the end of the Second World War. A bridge was necessary to give access to the ornamental gardens and one is indicated on John Ainslie's map dated 1790, crossing the Lugton Water close to the castle itself. A small wooden bridge across the Lugton Water is shown in an illustration from around 1815, however this may not have been across the Lugton Water. Thomson's map of 1828 (See illustration) indicates a bridge crossing the Lugton Water at the castle where the three arched bridge was and a drive starting off at the position of the present day bridge, which may have been a ford at the time. Another bridge is suggested further upstream and close to the castle.Thomson, John (1828). A Map of the Northern Part of Ayrshire. A wooden 'Laundry Bridge' stood close to the castle and downstream from it was second wooden bridge which was washed away in a storm in 1938. Local children used it to build rafts. An 1807 estate map shows a bridge cutting across to a larder and another bridge just downstream, linked to the network of formal paths. The restored Stables Bridge, also called Lady Jane's Bridge, lies on the Kilwinning Lodge drive and just downstream from it stood an elegant cast-iron bridge with a 50-foot span. This cast-iron bridge had high-quality stonework on both of the abutments, much of which survives. This bridge gave access to the kitchen walled gardens and glasshouse ranges and lasted into the mid-1940s when the army removed it. The suspension bridge built by the army in the 1980s on behalf of the country park lies just below the weir beside the ruined gazebo. Lady Jane's Cottage had a wooded pedestrian footbridge which is shown in several postcards of the time; however, no clear sign remains apart from elements of the abutment on one bank. The restored Diamond Bridge lies upstream near the Eglinton Loch and continues to give access to the old Toll Road from Irvine to Kilwinning via Fergushill. This bridge was named after the nearby Black Diamond mine, the spoil heap or bing of which still remains rear the Chapelholm Gate. The colliery name in turn was associated with one of the 13th Earl's favourite horses, Black Diamond.


Other bridges across the Lugton Water within Eglinton

Image:Lugtoneglintonbridge.JPG, The suspension bridge over the Lugton Water. Image:The Eglinton Suspension Bridge.JPG, The suspension bridge and cascade weir. Image:Eglinton Lady Jane's cottage.jpg, Lady Jane's cottage with its footbridge across the Lugton Water. Image:Diamond Bridge restoration.jpg, The Diamond Bridge undergoing restoration. Image:Eglinton Chapelholms bridge.JPG, The Chapelholm or 'Diamond' bridge. Image:Eglinton stables bridge.JPG, The Stable or Lady Jane's Bridge. File:1890s Eglinton Walled Gardens bridge.jpg, The old Walled Garden Bridge. Image:Abutment of bridge in Eglinton.JPG, An abutment of the old Walled Garden bridge. Iron work is embedded in the structure, which was faced with high quality vermiculate ashlar stonework. Image:Stucco stone from footbridge.JPG, A vermiculate stone from the ornate Walled Garden bridge. Image:Castle Bridge side view.JPG, The 'new' castle or Laundry footbridge. Image:Castle Bridge 1.JPG, The view across the Laundry or Castle Bridge.


Lugton Water

The Lugton Water was diverted and altered several times, for example in the 1790s its course was altered by the 12th Earl (1740–1819)''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 27. to run behind the Garden Cottage, rather than in front of it. The width was also changed at times, for instance five ponds or lakes were created by large weirs at one stage; the one at the Tournament Bridge is clearly visible in older prints of the 1840s (see illustrations) shown.Montgomeries of Eglinton. Ayr Division. Strathclyde Department of Education. P. 94. The size, shape and position of the various weirs was altered several times, latterly by Clement Wilson of the canning factory. One of the weirs lies directly beneath the restored Tournament Bridge. The one below the site of the old
Bowling Green A bowling green is a finely laid, close-mown and rolled stretch of turf for playing the game of bowls. Before 1830, when Edwin Beard Budding of Thrupp, near Stroud, UK, invented the lawnmower, lawns were often kept cropped by grazing sheep ...
and
Robert Burns Robert Burns (25 January 1759 – 21 July 1796), also known familiarly as Rabbie Burns, was a Scottish poet and lyricist. He is widely regarded as the List of national poets, national poet of Scotland and is celebrated worldwide. He is the be ...
's garden was U-shaped, holding back sufficient water at one time to form a lake with a small island bearing a single yew tree. The 1938 OS map shows no fewer than seven weirs between the castle and the present-day suspension bridge.


The Clement Wilson gardens

In 1948 the trustees of the late 16th Earl sold most of the remaining parts of the estate to Robert Howie and Sons of Dunlop for £24,000''Landscape of the Knights. The Eglinton Story.'' Rub. Irvine Development Corporation. 1992. P. 12.Sharp, Cameron (2007). ''Eglinton Country Park Management Plan for 2007–2011''. North Ayrshire Council. P. 5. and in the 1950s the Wilson family purchased the Tournament Bridge, old offices, castle ruins, and other land from Robert Howie and Sons. Clement Wilson, the food processing factory owner, established the Clement Wilson Foundation which opened part of the grounds to the public, spending around £400,000 (around £4,317,000 in 2008 terms) on partially restoring the Tournament Bridge, consolidating the castle ruins, planting trees, landscaping, making paths, creating a rockery and waterfall feature, etc.Wilson, James (2008). Eglinton Archives – Written correspondence.


2008–9 restoration

The restoration of the Tournament Bridge involves a faithful and historic renovation of the 'Tournament Bridge', based on surviving documentary evidence.
Historic Scotland Historic Scotland () was an executive agency of the Scottish Government, executive agency of the Scottish Office and later the Scottish Government from 1991 to 2015, responsible for safeguarding Scotland's built heritage and promoting its und ...
requires a ‘faithful restoration where all details are replicated as closely as possible in terms of material, design and construction’. The concrete arches were removed as well as the infill above. The concrete arches were replaced with the existing refurbished cast-iron arch sections and new cast-iron fascia sections, which have restored the original width of the structure. The load-bearing capacity of the bridge is carried by a modern steel structure concealed beneath the wooden deck surface, as this was considered to be the original material, possibly coated with a layer of whin dust or such-like. The timber parapets have been replaced with cast-iron sections to match the original items. All of the cast-iron elements have been fabricated and fitted by the Ballantine
Bo'ness Borrowstounness, commonly known as Bo'ness ( ), is a town and former burgh and seaport on the south bank of the Firth of Forth in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. Counties of Scotland, Historically part of the county of West Lothian (historic), ...
Iron Company to restore the splendour of the original structure.The Irvine Herald, Friday 25 April 2008. P. 10. The restoration involved
hydrodemolition Hydrodemolition (also known as hydro demolition, hydroblasting, hydro blasting, hydromilling, waterblasting, and waterjetting) is a concrete removal technique which utilizes high-pressure water, often containing an abrasive material, to remove d ...
to expose the cast-iron arches through removing the concrete in which they had been embedded. This process used very high pressure water jets and confirmed the poor structural integrity of the iron arches. They were not however intended to be load bearing in the restored bridge and an upside was the degree of Gothic artwork found to exist on the arches. The estimated total project cost was £720k. Historic Scotland have indicated that they would be able to contribute some £161k, around £5k will be provided in kind, and the shortfall of £354k was the subject of the successful grant application to the
Heritage Lottery Fund The National Lottery Heritage Fund, formerly the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF), distributes a share of National Lottery funding, supporting a wide range of heritage projects across the United Kingdom. History The fund's predecessor bodies were ...
. The final cost was in the order of a million pounds. The bridge deck is made from imported hardwoods such as Ipe. The bridge was re-opened on Friday, 26 June 2009.


Views of restoration works carried out in 2008–2009

File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge, Irvine, Ayrshire.JPG, Work begins File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge restoration, Irvine, Scotland.JPG, A hydrodemolition operative in protective clothing File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge, Irvine, Scotland.JPG, A cast-iron cross strut holding the arches together so they do not move sideways File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge cast iron beams.jpg, Detail of the cast-iron arches File:Gothic ornamantal ironwork on the Eglinton Tournament Bridge, Irvine, Scotland.JPG, Detail of the Gothic ornamentation on the cast-iron arches. Note the cracks in the ironwork. File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge, Irvine, Scotland view.JPG, The concrete decking prior to hydrodemolition and the exposure of the cast-iron arches File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge with the concrete decking removed.JPG, The concrete removed and the cast-iron arches exposed File:Exposed cast iron arches, Eglinton Tournament Bridge, Irvine, Scotland.JPG, Fully exposed cast-iron arches File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge construction details of pier.jpg, Details of the central pier's construction File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge scaffolding.jpg, Ready for painting File:Central pier Tournament Bridge.JPG, The white protective paint and the central pier File:Tournament Bridge cutwater repairs.JPG, Repairs underway to the central pier and cutwaters File:Iron stone binding.JPG, An old iron stone block binding. These expanded as they rusted and ironically led to the loosening of the stonework. File:Eglinton Masons.JPG, At work on the stone for the central pier. Note the craft tools File:Tournament Bridge Mason.JPG, Marking out a block before cutting out the design File:Hydrodemolition damage to stone blocks.JPG, Hydrodemolition damage to a sandstone block from the bridge File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge in March 2009.JPG, The load-bearing frame. March 2009 File:Eglinton Bridge Project - finishing touches.JPG, Kenny Working – finishing touches at the project site File:Stone Mason's Bench - Eglinton.JPG, A possible Mason's Bench from the 1845 bridge construction File:Eglinton Tournament Reconstructed.JPG, The completed bridge in June 2009 File:Eglinton Tournament Bridge - activities.JPG, The restored bridge being used by the NAC Ranger Service


See also

*
The Iron Bridge The Iron Bridge is a cast iron arch bridge that crosses the River Severn in Shropshire, England. Opened in 1781, it was the first major bridge in the world to be made of cast iron. Its success inspired the widespread use of cast iron as a str ...
– the world's first cast-iron arch bridge


References


External links

{{commons category
The Tournament Bridge
Bridges in Scotland Pedestrian bridges in Scotland History of North Ayrshire Category B listed buildings in North Ayrshire Gothic Revival architecture in Scotland Bridges completed in 1845 19th century in Scotland Cast-iron arch bridges in Scotland Buildings and structures in North Ayrshire