Thomas Telford

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About Thomas Telford

Thomas Telford was born on 9th August 1757 in Westerkirk, in Dumfries, Scotland, son of a shepherd, who died when he was 3 months old.

Despite being raised in poverty, he stayed on at the parish school til the age of 14, when he was apprenticed to a stonemason in Langholm. He was to become a world famous stonemason, architect and civil engineer and a noted road, bridge and canal builder. He also studied mathematics, architecture, languages, philosophy and Roman history.

Not only did his work improve the highways and bridges, canals and roads of the UK, the works enabled much of the Industrial Revolution, providing the means of transport, men, machinery, raw materials and finished goods.

He died in on 2nd September 1834, in London, aged 77, and is buried in Westminster Abbey.

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Living in the Highlands of Scotland, I am surrounded by the legacy of his work in over 920 miles of road, 120 bridges, canals, harbours and 32 T-shaped 'Parliementary Churches', and have always been fasinated by his life story and his awesome achievements. So this group is a tribute to an amazing man whom, 200 years later, still has an impact on daily life where I live!

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Thomas Telford designed, improved or was involved in:

Caledonian Canal
Crinan Canal
Ellesmere Canal
Gloucester and Sharpness Canal
Göta Canal, Sweden
Sharpness Canal
Shrewsbury Canal

Acharacle Church
Croik Church
Iona Church
Kinlochbervie Church
Madeley Church
Plockton Church
Poolewe Church
St Leonard's Church, Malinslee
St Mary Magdalene Church, Bridgnorth
Strathy Church
Strontian Church
Tomintoul Church
Ullapool Church

Ballater Bridge
Bildwas Bridge, River Severn
Bonar Bridge
Bridge of Don, Alford
Buildwas Bridge
Clachan Bridge
Conwy Castle Bridge
Cound Arbour Bridge
Craigellachie Bridge
Dean Bridge
Dunkeld Bridge
Eaton Hall Bridge
Galton Bridge
Glasgow Bridge, Broomielaw
Holt Fleet Bridge
Menai Suspension Bridge
Montford Bridge
Mythe Bridge
Over Bridge
River Esk Bridge
Roy Bridge
Telford Bridge
Tongland Bridge
Waterloo Bridge

Chirk Aqueduct
Glen Loy Aqueduct
Longdon-on-Tern Aqueduct, Wellington
Pont Cysyllte Aqueduct, River Dee

A5, London to Holyhead road
Carlisle to Glasgow road
Carlisle to Portpatrick road
Fort William to Arisaig road
Perth to Inverness road
Invergarry to Loch Hourn road
Ardgour to Acharacle road
Glen Shiel road
Dingwall to Lochcarron and Shieldaig road
Dingwall to Tongue road
Dingwall to Dornoch road
Wick and John o' Groats roads
Carrbridge to Banff road
Fort William to Kingussie road
Kyleakin to Portree and Uig roads
The "String Road" across Arran

Harecastle Canal Tunnel
Standedge Canal Tunnel

Somerset House

St Katharine Docks
Ullapool docks
Kirkwall harbour
Wick harbour
Portmahomack harbour
Dingwall harbour
Invergordon harbour
Fortrose harbour
Nairn harbour
Burghead harbour
Cullen harbour
Banff harbour
Fraserburgh harbour
Peterhead harbour
Aberdeen harbour
Dundee harbour
Leith harbour
Tayvallich harbour
Portree harbour
Tobermory harbour
Port Logan harbour