Thomas Telford

Thomas Telford (August 9, 1757 - September 2, 1834) was born in Westerkirk, Scotland. He was a stonemason, architect and civil engineer - a noted road-, bridge- and canal- builder.

Engineer in demand

The Ellesmere Canal was finally completed in 1805 but alongside his canal responsibilities, Telford's reputation as a civil engineer meant he was constantly consulted on numerous other projects. These included water supply works for Liverpool, improvements to London's docklands and the rebuilding of London Bridge (c.1800).

Related Topics:
1805 - Liverpool - London Bridge - 1800

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Most notably (and, again, William Pulteney was influential in his 1801 appointment), Telford devised a master plan to improve communications in the Highlands of Scotland, a massive project that was to last some 20 years. It included the building of the Caledonian Canal along the Great Glen (and redesign of sections of the Crinan Canal), some 920 miles of new roads, over a thousand new bridges, numerous harbour improvements (including works at Aberdeen, Dundee, Peterhead, Wick and Banff, to name but five), and 32 new churches.

Related Topics:
1801 - Scotland - Caledonian Canal - Great Glen - Crinan Canal - Harbour - Aberdeen - Dundee - Peterhead - Wick - Banff - Church

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Telford also undertook highway works in the Scottish Lowlands, including 184 miles of new roads and numerous bridges, ranging from a 112 ft (34 m) span stone bridge across the Dee at Tongueland in Kirkcudbright (1805-1806) to the 129 ft (39 m) tall Cartland Crags bridge near Lanark (1822).

Related Topics:
Dee - Tongueland - Kirkcudbright - 1805 - 1806 - Lanark - 1822

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Telford was consulted in 1806 by the King of Sweden about the construction of a canal between Gothenburg and Stockholm. His plans were adopted and construction of the Göta Canal began in 1810. Telford travelled to Sweden at that time to oversee some of the more important initial excavations.

Related Topics:
1806 - Sweden - Gothenburg - Stockholm - Göta Canal - 1810

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