Bridges Connecting Maryburgh And Conon ⋆ Ross and Cromarty Heritage

Bridges Connecting Maryburgh And Conon

Attribution: S. Fraser (Maryburgh Primary School March 2015)

A River with many bridges

Over the years there have been several bridges crossing between Maryburgh and Conon Bridge. These have ranged from a bridge by Thomas Telford to a metal bridge containing utility pipes.

Remnants of old with new in the background.

Attribution: unknown

History of the Railway Bridge

RCHS is grateful to the Editor of the Ross-shire Journal for permission to reproduce the article which appeared in the edition of 8 June 2012 to mark the 150th anniversary of the opening of that section of the Highland Railway.

In January 1859 Alexander Matheson convened a meeting of interested parties to discuss the building of a railway from Inverness to Dingwall. Matheson was a director of Jardine Matheson which traded between India and China.

He and his uncle James, one of the founders, both made fortunes and were able to purchase Highland estates. Alexander owned Ardross, near Alness.

After Queen Victoria and Prince Albert purchased Balmoral, the Scottish Highlands became a popular tourist destination. The landed gentry liked to travel each summer for their Scottish estates along with their retinue, so good communications were essential for them as well as for the local population who were able to benefit from the employment provided.

The indigenous landowners were also keen on the railway as they realised this was an opportunity for them to develop the resources of their estates for export such as wood, fish, grain and whisky.

The Dingwall Town Council was very enthusiastic about a railway. Its citizens had either to walk or ride on horseback to Inverness or rely on the stagecoach. From there, they were able to get a train to Aberdeen and travel further south if they wished.

The directors asked Joseph Mitchell, the engineer for the railway eastwards along the coast to Keith, to carry out a survey. He and his assistants, William and Murdoch Paterson

The plaque on the Maryburgh side of the rail bridge commemorates the opening of the Inverness and Ross-shire Railway on 11 June 1862. It lists the directors of the company, the civil engineer and the contractor.

Attribution: [Photo courtesy of Douglas Chisholm.]

View more photographs of the Bridges over the River conon

Click on photo album to view thumbnails and then click thumbnail to see the full size images

Maryburgh » Maryburgh Folk » Maryburgh Seaforth Portraits

Lady Frances Herbert, wife of Kenneth, 4th Earl of Seaforth

James Alexander Francis Humberston Stewart-Mackenzie, Lord Seaforth. 1847-1923.

Francis Humberston Mackenzie, d. 1815 The last Lord Seaforth

Francis, The Laird of Seaforth. Royal Artillery. Died 1942.

Isabella, daughter of Sir John Mackenzie of Tarbat, wife of Kenneth, 3rd Earl of Seaforth.

Lady Mary Stewart-Mackenzie of Seaforth, wife of Lord Seaforth. Died 1933.

Lady Mary Stewart-Mackenzie of Seaforth, wife of Lord Seaforth. Died 1933. Mary Margaret Steinkopff was born in Glasgow and was the daughter of Edward Steinkopff, a German entrepreneur and collector, who lived much of his life in Britain. He co-founded the Apollinaris mineral water company, and was the proprietor of the London evening newspaper St James's Gazette. He spent much of his life in Glasgow and London. She married James Alexander Francis Stewart-Mackenzie, 1st and last Baron Seaforth, in 1899.

Michael, the Laird's brother, at Brahan

Michael, the Laird's brother, at Brahan. He was killed in Italy, at Anzio or Celerno, only 11 hours apart from his brother Francis.

The grave of Lord and Lady Seaforth

The inscription reads: In loving memory of James Alexander Francis Humberston, Col. Lord Seaforth, whose body rests in the place he loved so well. Born 2 October 1847. Passed away 3 March 1923. And also of Mary Margaret, Lady Seaforth, whose body rests here. Born 9 March 1862. Died 17 February 1933.

The grave of Lord and Lady Seaforth

The Seaforths - Succession to Brahan

Rt. Hon. James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie,

Rt. Hon. James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie, son of Vice-Admiral Hon. Keith Stewart, MP for County of Ross-shire, Governor of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Lord High Commissioner for Ionian Islands 1784-1843.

Kenneth, 3rd Earl of Seaforth, died 1678

Kenneth, 4th Earl of Seaforth and 1st Marquis. Died 1701

Lady Madeline Stewart-Mackenzie with Col. Tyler at Brahan.

William, 5th Earl of Seaforth, died 1740

Lady Louisa Ashburton

Lady Louisa Ashburton (1827-1903) Louisa Caroline Stewart-Mackenzie was the daughter of Mary Elizabeth Frederica Mackenzie ("the Hooded Lassie") ,widow of Vice Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and daughter of Francis Mackenzie, 1st Baron Seaforth and her second husband James Alexander Stewart. Her brother was Keith William Stewart-Mackenzie

Lady Julia Tweedale

Lady Julia Tweedale (1846-1947) Julia Charlotte Sophia Stewart-Mackenzie was the daughter of Keith William Stewart-Mackenzie (Officer in the 90th Regiment and Colonel Commander of the Ross-shire Volunteers) and Hannah Charlotte Hope-Vere of the Seaforth family of Lewis and Brahan Castle. She became Lady Julia Tweeddale after marrying Arthur Hay, 9th Marquess of Tweeddale.