A bridge of two halves

The strange bridge crossing the South Ugie Water near Deer Abbey dates from 1718 and linked the two estates of Pitfour owned by the Ferguson family and Aden owned by the Russells. There was great rivalry between the two families. According to a local tradition when the Fergusons bought a very large and grand new coach the Russells refused to widen their half of the bridge to allow the coach to cross the Ugie. Although both families were eventually bankrupted and were forced to give up their estates the bridge remains wider on the Pitfour side than on the Aden side.