Scheduled MonumentsScotlandReisgill,old bridge
Old bridge

Reisgill,old bridge

Scotland
HES SM624
Site type
Old bridge
Nation
Scotland
Boundary

Scheduled area

© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Historic Environment Scotland

Overview

History & significance

Reisgill Old Bridge is a stone bridge spanning a tributary watercourse in Caithness, northern Scotland. The structure crosses terrain underlain by Middle Devonian bedrock, composed of conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone of the Middle Old Red Sandstone formation. These local geological materials would have been quarried or gathered during the bridge's construction, providing durable building stone suited to the region's exposed landscape.

The bridge represents the civil engineering practices of its era, designed to facilitate passage across the challenging terrain of Caithness whilst withstanding the flow of upland water courses. Stone bridges of this type became increasingly common across the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries, though some examples may date from earlier periods.

The monument is protected by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled structure under reference SM624, recognising its significance as an example of traditional bridge building in the north of Scotland. The bridge remains an important element of the local landscape and transport heritage.

Reisgill,old bridge is a scheduled monument protected by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM624. View the official record →

About this monument

Questions & answers

What is Reisgill,old bridge?

Reisgill Old Bridge is a stone bridge spanning a tributary watercourse in Caithness, northern Scotland. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic Environment Scotland under reference SM624.

Who is responsible for protecting Reisgill,old bridge?

Reisgill,old bridge is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic Environment Scotland — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Scotland. The official designation reference is SM624.

What other scheduled monuments are near Reisgill,old bridge?

Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Achastle-shore, fishing station (2 km), Swiney Castle, remains of, Achastle-shore (2 km), Forse Castle (2.5 km).

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Everything a full report reveals about Reisgill,old bridge

This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 14 strands of Reisgill,old bridge's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with every monument and battle plotted, and a plain-language history built only from what the record holds.
Monuments
The legally protected scheduled monuments around the location, each with its period, type and significance.
Battlefields
The battles and sieges fought on this ground, mapped and set on a timeline of the wider conflict.
Roman Britain
The Roman roads, forts and towns near here, and the Iron Age people who held the land before Rome arrived.
Stat Accounts
The parish Statistical Accounts of the 1790s and 1830s, describing life, work and population here.
Civil War
The Civil War fighting, garrisons and recorded militaria in this area, woven into the arc of 1642 to 1651.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back hundreds of millions of years.
Local Names
What the street and field names around here actually mean, and the history buried inside them.
Historical Maps
Ordnance Survey maps from the 1800s, layered over the location as it stands today.
Literature
The books, county histories, charters and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Legal
The protected sites nearby and the metal-detecting, access and treasure laws that apply to this ground.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Target Zones
For detectorists: the most promising ground to search nearby, ranked by confidence, with what to expect.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from prehistory to the present day.
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The ground beneath

The bedrock under Reisgill,old bridge

Reisgill,old bridge stands on Middle Old Red Sandstone (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Middle Devonian. The rock here is conglomerate, sandstone, siltstone and mudstone.