Bridge of Dee

Bridge of Dee (Brig o Dee in Scots) is a stone road bridge over the River Dee in Aberdeen, north-east Scotland. It dates from 1527 and for centuries was the main crossing on the city's southern edge. The name is also used for the surrounding neighbourhood.

Why visit the Bridge of Dee?

It is one of the oldest surviving structures of its kind in Aberdeen. The bridge recalls a time when the Dee marked the southern boundary of the city and travellers from the south had to cross here. For history and architecture fans it is a rewarding stop, showing medieval engineering alongside traces of later alterations.

Who built it?

The money came from a bequest by Bishop William Elphinstone, founder of Aberdeen's university, who died in 1514. Bishop Gavin Dunbar then carried the project forward, and work was finished around 1527. Sources give slightly different completion dates, but 1527 is the one most often cited.

What does the bridge look like?

Seven nearly semicircular, ribbed arches carry the roadway. Builders used granite and Elgin sandstone. Several sixteenth-century features survive: the original piers, coats of arms and refuges where pedestrians could step aside for carts. In the 1840s the bridge was widened under city architect John Smith to cope with growing traffic. It is a Category A listed structure.

The 1639 Battle of the Brig of Dee

The bridge also has a place in military history. On 18 and 19 June 1639, fighting broke out here during the First Bishops' War. Royalist forces under Viscount Aboyne defended the crossing against Covenanters led by Montrose. The Covenanters used a ruse, sending cavalry upriver to draw defenders away, and then seized the bridge when the musketeers holding it fell back. Aboyne withdrew from Aberdeen. Losses were small, roughly a dozen or so on each side, and the clash came after a truce had already been signed.

Frequently asked questions

Where is the Bridge of Dee?

At the southern approach to Aberdeen, over the River Dee, in the area that shares the bridge's name.

How old is it?

It dates from 1527. A bequest from Bishop Elphinstone paid for it and Bishop Dunbar saw it completed.

What is it made of?

Granite and Elgin sandstone, with seven arches and sixteenth-century piers.

Is it a protected monument?

Yes, it is Category A listed, the highest grade in Scotland's heritage system.

Did anything historic happen here?

Yes, in 1639 Royalists and Covenanters fought over the crossing, the only substantial action of the First Bishops' War.

Can I walk across it?

The bridge still carries traffic, so take care. The surviving pedestrian refuges show how the narrow roadway was once managed.