Description

John Kinross, 1891-2. Single, semi-circular arched, gentle hog-backed bridge over public road with adjoining wall and round-arched gateway to E. Squared and snecked rubble with ashlar parapet and intrados. Rusticated buttresses. Channelled vouissors. Coped parapet with base course and square-plan terminal piers.

WALL AND GATEWAY TO E: coped squared and snecked rubble wall with band course. Round-arched gateway with channelled voussiors and impost course. 2-leaf slatted timber gate, leading to Falkland Palace policies.

Statement of Interest

This bridge is forms important part of the wider designed landscape and links the two estates of Falkland Place and House of Falkland. The stone work is well detailed and the bridge has a gentle hump-backed slope which adds to its interest. The use of architectural detailing, including the rusticated buttresses and channelled vouissoirs link the bridge stylistically to the rest of the building forming the estate. The gateway and linking wall form part of boundary of Falkland Palace Estate.

When the 3rd Marquis of Bute became Keeper of the Palace and the owner of House of Falkland Estate in 1887. Falkland Palace was in great need of repair. He employed John Kinross to carry out restoration work to the building and Kinross also erected this bridge as part of a private walk between the two estates.

John Kinross (1855-1931) was one of Scotland's leading architects of the period. Much of his later work involved restoration, including here, at Falkland Palace. This was one of a number of projects he carried out whilst benefitting from the patronage of the 3rd Marquis of Bute. He also worked on a number of country houses, notably Manderston in the Borders.

House of Falkland Estate and Falkland Palace are closely linked. The House of Falkland Estate, which lies immediately to the West is formed by land that was gifted to the Keeper of Falkland Palace and also land that was acquired. In its present form, the estate dates from the early 19th century when it was acquired by John Bruce when he became Keeper of the Palace of Falkland in 1821. During his time at the estate, Bruce improved the lands around the existing estate house, Nuthill House (now demolished), built the Stables (see separate listing), and cascades and bridges were erected over the Mill and Maspie Burns.

On his death in 1826, his niece Margaret Bruce inherited the Estate. She married Onesiphorus Tyndall Bruce in 1828 and they made the decision to demolish Nuthill House and to build a new residence. The architect for the new house was William Burn and the house was built in 1839-44. The 3rd Marquis of Bute then bought the Estate in 1887 and he employed Robert Weir Schultz and William Frame to carry out interior work in the House. The house was used as a convalescent home in the First World War and as a home for Polish Airmen in the Second World War. The House of Falkland is currently a school (2011).

(List description updated 2011).

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Wikidata Q17817507

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)