South Bridge Act 1785

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Act of Parliament
Coat of Arms of the United Kingdom (1801-1816).svg
Long title An Act for opening an easy and commodious Communication from the High Street of Edinburgh, to the Country Southward; and also from the Lawn Market to the New extended Royalty on the North, and for enabling Trustees to purchase Lands, Houses, and Areas for that Purpose; for widening and enlarging the Streets of the said City, and certain Avenues leading to the same; for rebuilding or improving the University.
Citation 25 Geo. 3. c. 28
Introduced by Henry Dundas
Dates
Royal assent 1785
Commencement 1785
Text of statute as originally enacted

The South Bridge Act 1785 (25 Geo. 3. c. 28) [1] was a public act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom concerning infrastructure in the city of Edinburgh. Specifically, for the construction of what would become the South Bridge, for rebuilding or improving the University of Edinburgh, for enlarging the public markets, for lighting the said city, for providing an additional supply of water, for extending the royalty of the said city for levying an additional sum of money for statute labour in the middle district of the county of Edinburgh, to complete the Mound and to erect a bridge between the road to Leith and Calton Hill across Calton Street.

Contents

South Bridge Scheme

The South Bridge as built, seen from the Cowgate. MA(1829) p.195 - South Bridge, from the Cowgate - Thomas Hosmer Shepherd.jpg
The South Bridge as built, seen from the Cowgate.

The first specific proposal for a South Bridge was produced on 6 September 1775 with the publication of a pamphlet setting out heads of a Bill. The promoters were a Committee of Heritors of the Shire of Edinburgh, including Henry Dundas who acted as Chairman, and the Duke of Buccleuch. [2]

In 1784 the scheme for the South Bridge was revived and with it the hopes of rebuilding the College on the existing site. Andrew Dalzell wrote to a friend in December: "It is now resolved to build a bridge across the Cowgate, passing between the College and the Infirmary. It is thought that when the posteriors of the College are exposed, people will be shamed into building a new College." This startling prospect gave rise to another pamphlet, published in early 1785 by James Gregory, Professor of the Theory of Medicine, in the form of "A letter to the Right Honourable Henry Dundas on the Proposed Improvements in the City of Edinburgh." [3] [4]

Trustees for the University of Edinburgh and the South Bridge Act 1785

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References

  1. Parliament, Great Britain (1785). "Topics: Law: Policies".
  2. "An Address to the Inhabitants of Edinburgh. [Signed: A Citizen.]". 1775.
  3. Gregory, James (1785). "A Letter to the Right Honourable Henry Dundas: ... On the Proposed Improvements in the City of Edinburgh, and on the Means of Accomplishing Them".
  4. 26 Geo 3. c. 28