About Tummel Bridge, Scotland

Tummel is a small village, with a population of just over 100 most of the year. However during the summer months and holiday periods, what is sometimes called Tummel Bridge becomes a centre for holiday-makers because of the Tummel Valley Holiday Park located within the village boundaries. It is named after General Wade's bridge.

George Wade was born in 1673, grandson of an English soldier who had settled in Ireland at the end of Cromwell's campaign there in the 1650's. George joined the army as a young man and served in Ireland, France, Flanders, Portugal and Spain, gaining rapid promotion throughout, until he returned to England with the rank of Major General in l711. In 1722 he was elected MP for Bath and two years later was chosen by King George I to visit and report on the worrying situation in the Highlands of Scotland.

In 1688 James VII of Scotland, II of England, had been ousted from the throne by William and Mary. There followed a series of Jacobite uprisings in a vain attempt to restore the Royal House of Stuart to the throne. Word then came from Scotland that the 1716 Disarming Act (following the suppressed rebellion of 1715) had left the loyal Highlanders defenceless against rebels, and that the whole country was riven with corruption, thieving and blackmail.

After a rapid visit to the north in 1724, Wade concluded his report with several proposals - the building of barracks for His Majesty's troops, an improved system of sherriffs and JPs to administer the law, a further Disarming act, a network of good roads and bridges and companies of local men to keep the peace.

His assessment must have been well received, for within a fortnight he had been appointed Commander of His Majesty's Forces in Scotland. These measures were embarked upon immediately with the road-building programme under Wade's personal supervision until, at the end of 1733, he handed over responsibility to William Caulfield, to whom are attributed the famous lines: 'If you'd seen these roads before they were made, you'd lift up your arms and bless General Wade'

Wade's personal attitude to the Highlands and their people is hard to assess, but he made few enemies in his time here. He certainly seems to have believed strongly that the Highlands should be policed by Highlanders for their own good. Even his military roads were less than repressive in their effects. In fact, the only military commander to gain massive benefit from them was 'Bonnie Prince Charlie' whose troops used every inch of the network in the campaign of 1745-6.

Wade returned to the army and was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1742. In 1743 he served under King George II at the battle of Dettingen in the War of the Austrian Succession, the last battle in which an English king led the army. He became Commander in Chief but was replaced by the Duke of Cumberland when he failed to counter the 1745 uprising with sufficient despatch.

The bridge at Tummel was built in 1730 and is characteristic of the type built by General Wade. It is narrow and steeply pitched with a central arch and has now been bypassed.

Photo:  Anne Burgess / Tummel Bridge