Though often referred to as a Wade bridge, as are many old Highland bridges, this actually dates from 1753, long after Wade had left Scotland, so it is the work of Major Caulfeild and was built as part of the military route connecting Blairgowrie and Corgarff with Grantown and Inverness. It was replaced by new Invercauld Bridge, built on the orders of and at the expense of Royalty, who valued their privacy at Balmoral. The section of the South Deeside Road from the old bridge to Balmoral was closed off. In fact, although the public were no longer allowed quite so close to Balmoral, people were kept well informed of Royal activities thanks to illustrations which appeared in the Illustrated London News, and when photography became available, photographers such as George Washington Wilson and others kept the public in the picture about the delights of Deeside.
