Highbridge, Scotland



Highbridge is located on the River Spean, 2 km downstream from the village of Spean Bridge in the Scottish Highlands. The village takes its name from this bridge.

The bridge was originally built by General Wade in 1736 (at a cost of £1,087) as the crossing of the River Spean on his Inverness to Fort William military road. This bridge was superseded in 1819 by a new bridge further upstream, designed by Thomas Telford. Highbridge was last repaired in 1893, but partially collapsed in 1913, and only the piers now remain. The remains are protected as a category B listed building.

It was the site of the first action of the Jacobite rising of 1745, the Highbridge Skirmish, when a small number of Keppoch MacDonalds fooled a company of troops led by Captain Scott into thinking the bridge was heavily defended. The government troops retreated and were pursued to Loch Oich, where they surrendered.