Edinburgh Bridges #05 : The Regent Bridge.

Towards the end of the 18th century Edinburgh's New Town was nearing completion and plans were put forward to expand to the east, but there was a deep ravine called Low Calton that prevented easy access from the East end of Princes street. It took until 1815 that Archibald Elliot had a design and the city had the money to start construction which took 4 years. Meantime in other parts of the world a certain British general was giving the French Emperor a bit of a doing and in honour of his victory the street that the bridge made real was named after the away win at Waterloo. In 1819 the Bridge was opened by the first 'King of Belgians" Leopold I, uncle to Queen Victoria. However by the time the bridge was finished, there was a war to pay for (where have we heard that before!) and a recession was in place making it impossible to fund the expansion to the East as was expected. By the time the economy came back into a happier place the Dean Bridge was built and it was easier to expand over to the West of the New Town.

Today many more people go under the bridge rather than over it as the low road from Leith St. gives an easier access to Waverley Station, at least for pedestrians.