Description

Presumed former ship’s rudder used as an anchor plate removed during reconstruction from the Gattonside footbridge, Melrose in 1991.

The bridge was completed in 1826 and the rudder was almost certainly used in the original construction. This means that it is most probably a very early example of surviving marine ironwork. At the time (1826) malleable could not be manufactured in widths much greater than 2 ft (600 mm) and it can be seen that the rudder has been made from lengths approximately 2 ft wide and riveted. It was later in the 19th century that iron could be rolled to widths greater than this.

A description of the Gattonside Footbridge can be found at https://ice-museum-scotland.hw.ac.uk/product/1991-010/.