Ivy cleared on Mackenzie Bridge

At last the ivy has been cleared off the railings on the Mackenzie Bridge at Stockbridge. It has revealed the damage which can be done to the beautiful antique and original ironwork. Let us hope they will be re-painted and mended soon. Continual care and maintenance of our heritage ironwork is important but it is made a great deal easier if hedges, plants and ivy are not allowed to grow up through them.
Now revealed, by the ivy removal, is the second arch of the bridge for the old mill lade taking water to Silvermills and Canonmills downstream. And growing out of the lade foundations is a very beautiful plane tree which can be seen more clearly. Recently a huge branch was removed which grew across the road towards the allotments but even though the tree is inspected every year by the CEC foresters it still lost a branch during our recent summer storms.
However more ivy still needs to be taken off the road embankment railings beside the tree. And if the branches are pruned up it will then be possible to peep through to the river from the pavement.