South Bridge Act 1785

The South Bridge Act 1785 (25 Geo. 3. c. 28)[1] was a public act of the United Kingdom Parliament concerning 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.

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long titleAn 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.
Citation25 Geo. 3. c. 28
Introduced byHenry Dundas
Dates
Royal assent1785
Commencement1785
Text of statute as originally enacted

South Bridge Scheme
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 exiting site. Andrew Dalzel 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
  • James Hunter Blair; Lord Provost of Edinburgh
  • The right honourable Henry Dundas of Melville
  • The right honourable Ilay Campbell; Lord Advocate of Scotland
  • Sir William Forbes; Baronet of Pitfligo
  • Robert Macqueen of Braxfield esquire, Senator of the College of Justice
  • Archibald McDowal esquire; Merchant and Dean of the Guild of Edinburgh
  • John Grieve esquire; Merchant in Edinburgh
  • Mr. William Jamieson; Mason and Convener of the Trades of Edinburgh
  • John Davidson esquire; Writer to the Signet
  • Niel McViccar esquire; Merchant in Edinburgh
  • James Brown esquire; Architect

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. https://archive.org/stream/statutesatlarge23unkngoog#page/n116/mode/2up%7C26 Geo III c.28


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