A bridge in Sutherland has been awarded category A status by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) after it was recognised as being of special architectural interest.
Kylesku Bridge will also be the first to be legally renamed in Gaelic as Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing.
The bridge, which spans the deep sea inlet of An Caolas Cumhang, is one of Scotland’s most visually striking and technically innovative modern concrete bridges. Built between 1981 and 1984, the quality of the bridge’s design and its method of construction have been recognised through a number of prestigious awards, including the Scottish Award for Civil Engineering Construction and the Concrete Society Award.
The decision to list Kylesku Bridge follows on from a consultation launched by HES and the Highland Council, where members of the public were invited to express their views.
Elizabeth McCrone, Head of Designations at HES, said: “Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing is one of Scotland’s most architecturally distinguished bridges of the second half of the twentieth century, and is among the most outstanding of its type in the country.
“As well as its architectural significance, the bridge is also an emotive and poignant reminder of the modernisation such civil engineering projects brought to remote areas of the Highlands, and the subsequent impact they had on traditional ways of life.
“Today, the significance of Drochaid a’ Chaolais Chumhaing is reflected in its growing status as tourist attraction along the North Coast 500 route, and we’re delighted to recognise its national importance with Category A status.”
