Westerkirk parish school Apprentice to a mason at Langholm (1772-9) Self-taught engineer
Telford, Thomas,
1757–1834, Scottish civil engineer. He greatly improved road building in England and Scotland. He introduced the use of a base of large stones surfaced with compacted layers of small stones. His engineering works include harbors and docks at Aberdeen, Dundee, and London, many notable bridges, including those across the Tay River and the Menai Strait, and an aqueduct across the Dee; he was engineer-in-chief of the Caledonian Canal. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.