Wades Bridge 2

"... a freestone bridge over the Tay, of five arches, nearly 400ft. in length, the middle arch 60 feet wide, the starlings of oak and the piers and landbreasts founded on piles shod with iron...." (House of Commons Journal, 7th February 1734)

Lt. General Wade's bridge at Aberfeldy was first opened to traffic at the end of October 1733 - over 250 years ago. Wade regarded it the greatest of his considerable achievements in road-making. In 9 years he had personally supervised the construction of over 250 miles of military roads in the Highlands - the first engineered roads in Britain since Roman times. It was clearly of great importance to him that the Tay bridge should be completed by the end of that year. The marble plaque built into the outside of the upstream wall already anticipated this completion date:

"..Lt Gen. George Wade...laid the first stone on 23rd April 1733 and finished the work in the same year"