Harper Bridges

Cromdale, R. Spey,1881


Cromdale 1894
Cromdale is found on the River Spey just downstream of Granton on Spey. The parish Church of Cromdale and Advie stands on the east bank of the river and adjacent to it the bridge was built around 1881 (NH065289)(see below). This bridge was washed away in 1894 and a second one built (right).  It is not known whether Harpers built the replacement.   Today only the footings survive, the bridges having been replaced by a road girder bridge built by Dorman Long in 1921 after the second light bridge collapsed.   The road bridge crosses the Spey on a bearing of 295o (mag), while the suspension bridge crossed on a bearing of 270o (mag) on the OS map of 1908 (revised), so today, one footing is found downstream and the other upstream of the present bridge. The east footing, buried in undergrowth, is in line with the old road that passed along the boundary wall of the churchyard.




Cromdale Bridge 1881
John Harper Jnr refers in correspondence to photographs taken of the first 1881  bridge. He had several photographs taken from the higher (Grantown) side when he really wanted them taken from the other (Cromdale) side. Not Happy! However, we can illustrate above one of the surviving 'inferior' photographs taken from the Grantown side, looking towards the church.